Joylene Biira, 27 was a small holder farmer with 15 birds, which she used to keep in a small shelter. It was a modest business that helped her earn an income to provide for her family.

Today, she has expanded her flock to 100 birds, which she has moved into a bigger poultry house.

To grow her business, Joylene accessed a loan of UGX 200,000 (about €49) from a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) group that she belongs to. She combined it with UGX 450,000 (about €110) from the sale of her initial 15 birds and used the money to buy 100 chicks, feeds and vaccines. By June 2026, she had already started repaying the loan.

She keeps dual purpose birds for both meat and egg production and plans to move them into an even bigger shelter as they continue to grow. By the time of this interview, Joylene was undergoing mentorship from Ille de Paix after having completed a residential bootcamp under the WeWork-green and decent jobs for youth project. RCA is a partner organization working with Ile de Paix implements this project in the Rwenzori region, alongside The Association of Rwenzori Community (RCA) and Enabel.

"One thing that stood out for me during the bootcamp was that I needed a business plan with a goal and a vision for my business," she says. Today, that vision is clearly displayed on a vision board hanging inside her poultry house. The plan serves as a reminder to her of where she wants her business to be in the next three years. Her target is to grow her flock to 500 birds.

In addition to equipping her with skills to develop a business plan, the training also gave her practical knowledge on poultry management.

"I learnt that one-day-old chicks need preparation before you bring them home. The room must be warm and ready, with drinkers, glucose and warm water."

Joylene says the idea of expanding her poultry business started during the bootcamp in December 2025. When the mentorship sessions began, she took the next step by borrowing money through her VSLA and investing in more birds.

The mentorship includes regular visits from extension workers who monitor her progress and provide technical guidance.

"They come to check on my birds and advise me whenever I face challenges," she says.

Among the challenges she has encountered are rats that eat poultry feeds and eagles that attempt to enter the poultry house, increasing the risk of disease. The guidance she receives from the extension workers has helped her respond to such challenges.

Joylene's first customers were a nearby hotel that bought her initial 15 birds. She hopes to continue supplying the hotel as her business grows and is optimistic that the mentorship will also help her access more markets.

"Rearing chicken is easy as long as you have shelter and feeds for the birds. It is a profitable business with a ready market," she says.

Although she dreamed of becoming an accountant, Joylene could not continue beyond Senior Six because of a lack of school fees. However, the bootcamp introduced her to record keeping, a skill she now uses to monitor her business income and expenses.

Her immediate plan is to sell 50 birds while keeping the other 50 to continue growing the business. She expects each mature bird to sell for between UGX 40,000 (€ 9.5) and UGX 50,000 (€12), allowing her to build enough capital to steadily increase her flock until she reaches her target of 500 birds.

A mother of two, Joylene also grows cowpeas and onions and keeps pigs. These combined activities provide the steady income she needs to care for her children and build a brighter future for her family.

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