Buy a book, hatch an egg!
Our mission is simple. To put eggs into the hands of children who need it most and to put chickens into the hands of struggling families and villages to help them become self-sufficient.
Vanuatu Chicken Project
Why Vanuatu?
Because although it’s a South Seas island paradise and has been my home for over four years, it’s also one of the most disaster prone countries on Earth for natural disasters (the UN’s words, not mine).
I have seen firsthand the chronic malnutrition, disease and poverty that lies underneath the palm trees of these beautiful islands. And with a small amount of money I can make a big difference.
As the saying goes, charity starts at home so I have committed to making a difference and giving back by donating a percentage of the proceeds of my book sales to my VANUATU CHICKEN PROJECT.
Our initial goal is to hatch and breed 10,000 HAPPY CHICKENS!
This is not a vanity project and it’s not about re-inventing the wheel. This is a tried and tested solution to solving malnutrition in the Pacific islands and uplifting whole communities out of subsistence living. In Fiji, a similar Happy Chickens project has already hatched 32,000 chickens!
Here’s how it works.
Just about every village in Vanuatu has chickens. These ‘village chickens’ are hardy, tough survivors who thrive by foraging, but they are small, tough as hell and produce very few eggs.
In fact, most villagers either buy their eggs from commercial chicken farms in the main towns (if they can afford it) or go without. Occasionally, they will cook up a few as part of a special feast. Not exactly a reliable source of protein.
Enter Happy Chickens and the Vanuatu Department of Livestock.
By rolling out training and education workshops, providing materials to build shelters for feeding/laying and crossing local breeds with commercial imported breeds, families are given access to highly productive birds that lay lots of eggs and are well adapted to local tropical conditions.
A simple breeding/hatching program ensures the project goes on to benefit the entire village.
Happy chickens mean:
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A regular source of protein for kids during their first 1000 days and beyond
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Reduced pressure on other food sources such as fish, crabs, birds, and other native wildlife.
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A source of fertiliser for composting and community gardens
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A reliable standby food source during times of crisis (cyclones/storms/drought/economic)
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Economic stability through the sale of eggs, chickens and the reduction of brought eggs
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A natural source of insect control
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A source of feathers for traditional custom purposes
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Bigger chickens, bigger eggs
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Lasting change
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A hand up not a hand out
