Chickens provide for the needs of Soonthone’s family

Soonthone, 36 works in a farm with his 32-year old wife Kaisone. Their only son, Somesavay, 8, is a World Vision sponsored child. Somesavay is in Grade 1 at Noonsavangh Primary School.

Aside from farming, Soonthone also raises chickens in their backyard to augment their income to buy Somesavay’s school uniform and stationeries. But oftentimes, the chickens die from catching poultry diseases. Soonthone was not aware how he can protect his barnyard fowls from common diseases.

That was before he received the orientation on poultry- raising from World Vision in 2010. Along with four other families, Soonthone received 20 heads of chickens from a chicken fund from World Vision livelihood project.

The family beneficiaries were given a year to grow the flock before rolling the fund to the next family in the village. They were regularly monitored and instructed how they can raise the flock well. They were trained to detect symptoms of poultry diseases and how to give appropriate medicines.

Soonthone is proud to have successfully multiplied the initial grant of 20 chickens four times. He now has 80 chickens estimated to cost 2,600,000 LAK (US$300). He is happy that he can provide food for his wife and son. “I can already buy my family’s basis needs and my son’s uniform and other needs from the money I earn from selling chickens,” say Soonthone.

“I would like to see other families in the village also make money like me. This way, we can support our children’s education,” he added.

He hopes that World Vision livelihood project will continue to help poor families in their community.  Soonthone recognizes the generosity of other people to make life easier for them. He gratefully said, “I would like to say thank you to World Vision Laos and to World Vision Japan for their big hearts in supporting our communities live better lives.”

“I am happy that we have many chickens. I also have food to eat when I return home from school,” says Somesavay who likes to study Lao subjects and who wants to become a policeman someday.  He said he wants to protect his country.