The Kamuli Network of People Living with HIV was formed in 2020. It is a group
of 25 members—17 women and 8 men—dedicated to supporting each other, not just in keeping up with their health, but in running and growing a business together. In 2022,
the members decided to form a savings group and launched a poultry project. Each member
contributed a membership fee of UGX 10,000 to kick-start the venture.
Starting with just 30 birds, the group reared and sold them, restocked
with 50, and later grew to 300 birds. They initially relied on limited
knowledge shared by one of them who had some experience in poultry rearing. Even with this guidance, the group felt that they needed more professional mentorship and this came up just after they had sold off the 300 birds.
MUCOBADI (Multi Community-based Development Initiative) and Enabel stepped in and offered invaluable training in Village Savings and Loan
Association (VSLA) skills, poultry management, and business skills. In addition, they provided the group with practical tools and resources such as brooding pots, feeders, PPEs,
two wheelbarrows, and a solar panel. Most importantly, they gave them 817 chicks,
of which they successfully reared and sold 801, earning UGX 9,688,000 in
revenue.
The poultry house they use was offered by the mother of one
member. Although the startup support gave the group a significant boost, they
faced challenges, particularly with inadequate feed, which forced them to
borrow money from their savings group. They took out a loan of UGX 4
million to ensure the birds were well-fed.
The group’s commitment is evident in their collective decision-making
and willingness to contribute personal funds to sustain the project. With plans
to restock another 800 birds, they aim to avoid further loans and achieve
financial independence.
A male member proudly stated, “Now we can see where we are going. The
startup kit we were given has boosted our business a lot.”