The hen effect on a global scale

A few years ago, one of our supporters became involved with a charity based in Scotland which runs projects in Tanzania supporting orphaned children.

There are currently 25 children in an orphanage in Mayega known as The New Peace Children’s Dropping Centre, namely because often children are simply dropped and left there after their parents pass away.

The children’s diet consisted of rice or maize meal, beans and green veg, with meat and fish being a rare treat if it could be afforded. Protein was lacking, and therefore an appeal was launched to raise money so that the orphanage could keep hens and include their eggs in the children’s diet.

BHWT supporter, Sheila McLarnon, was already involved with the charity so began fundraising in Scotland and was soon known as the CEO of the hen project! Postcards were sold for donations which was a real success and before long, enough money was raised to convert an old byre into a coop. Fencing was put up to keep out predators such as snakes and black kites, feeders and drinkers were installed and local village hens were brought in.

Since then, the orphanage has become self-sustaining by selling surplus eggs to the villagers and the hen house and run have been extended to give the hens more space. But more importantly, the children’s nutrition has vastly improved and the hens have helped them learn new skills and the value of responsibility by caring for them.

Sheila told us: “I was privileged to visit Mayega in 2019. The children proudly showed me their hens who were very content. I was offered one of the hens as a gift which I accepted, but asked if she could live with the children. A hen on a long-haul flight would have been very interesting!”