What a great competition it was this year! We are a bit late announcing the results of the Chickens-for-Africa 2019 photo competition but the wait was worth it. We had some absolutely outstanding entries.
First prize goes to Lynn Clifford who recorded some of our work with the Wildlife Action Group to protect the Thuma Forest Reserve from exploitation and deforestation. The women with their chickens are farmers from the village of Chizinga on the border of the forest. In that and the neighbouring village, we set up a community based vaccination program and with support from WAG, distributed 105 chickens just like these. The recipients already have well over that number of baby chicks running around so we are confident of the success of our interventions.
We will continue to support Wildlife Action Group in Thuma and we hope to expand this type of activity. It not only helps poorly resourced communities, it helps protect the reserves. Through a sense of 'ownership' of the protected areas where they live, communities on the border help prevent exploitation from people further afar.
Second prize went to Karmen Martin for her photo of Jett, "Queen of the chicken coop", who is waiting for her food. Now that's attitude!
Third prize went to Charles Sokoso, who is training community based vaccinators in Zomba. RPC had a significant early role in getting this poultry work started through our collaboration with Villages in Partnership, a small US based organisation.
In conclusion, I want to say a huge thank you to all the people who supported us with photographs and donations this year. We will be able to combine these donations (here's how) with funds from the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) to make a difference where it matters. And we really do have an impact. It's not rocket science - we just help rural communities to stop their chickens dying.
Wish us luck! I'll be in touch again soon.With best regards...
Pat Boland
20 August 2019