Raising Chickens, Raising Hope: How One Young Farmer Rebuilt His Life Through MaYEA

Abiyout Shumeye, a 30-year-old young man from G/Mariyam Kebele in Mandura Woreda, is one of the MaYEA Program participants, implemented by Bees for Development Ethiopia in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and led by ORDA Ethiopia.

"MaYEA helped me see the opportunities around me. Today, I don't just raise chickens; I raise hopes for my family and my community," says Abyot.

Here is Abiyout Shumeye’s powerful story: 

I worked in a government office for six years and hold a degree in Rural Development. My father raised me through farming. With that ambition, I entered the sesame farming sector and worked for a large sesame farm investor.

Life in the lowland sesame-producing areas could bring income, but it also posed life-threatening risks. Eventually, I returned home. With the money I had, I bought a water-pumping generator and started farming. However, in 2019, conflict forced my family to leave our area.

After several months, I returned to Mandura and started my life over. For about three years before the MaYEA project arrived, I focused on producing finger millet, teff, and maize for household consumption and the market.

When he joined the MaYEA Program in 2025, Abiyout completed a three-day training on life skills, gender and safeguarding, business development, and poultry value chain management, gaining practical knowledge and confidence to start a poultry enterprise.

To be honest, before then, I had never even raised a chicken. During the holidays, I used to buy a chicken from the market rather than raise my own.

Although the loan had not yet arrived, I took a risk and purchased 20 broiler chickens at ETB 220 each. I built a 5-by-4-meter poultry house and began raising them.

By the end of February 2026, I sold each chicken for ETB 1,000. With the income of 20,000 ETB, I bought feeding and watering equipment and 60 chicks at 40 days old for ETB 230 each.

Abiyout Shumeye supervises his growing poultry enterprise in Mandura Woreda, Benishangul-Gumuz Region, in 2026.

I cared for the chicks, feeding them regularly. However, six chickens died. Later, I consulted a Woreda veterinarian, who told me that the deaths were likely due to a hygiene problem and provided the necessary medication.           

During Ethiopian Easter 2026, a poultry disease outbreak struck the area, and many farmers lost large numbers of chickens. People who knew me were worried and thought I would suffer the same fate. However, because I had already consulted the livestock expert, I purchased dedicated overalls and boots specifically for poultry management, and I did not lose a single bird during the outbreak. I sold 54 chickens at ETB 1,500 each.

Following my wife’s advice and encouragement, I purchased 200-day-old layer chicks to begin egg production.

I was invited to attend an experience exchange in Bahir Dar, where the shared experience helped me realize how much potential the poultry business had. During participant introductions, many mentioned owning 3,000 or even 4,000 chickens.

I felt embarrassed for not knowing the poultry potential. However, I learned about market assessment, business development, and entrepreneurship. Before this training, we often pursued whatever activities we heard about from others. Now, we carefully evaluate opportunities and choose businesses based on demand, profitability, and market potential.

As a result of the training, I established market linkages and built relationships with animal health professionals, traders, producers, and suppliers. I even made a friend named Mule, a poultry feed supplier.

I have established reliable poultry feed supply chains and built strong market connections through MaYEA. I also earn additional income by buying spent laying hens from neighboring participants in the Amhara Region for about ETB 500-550 each and selling them in my local market for up to ETB 1,200.

Previously, we would sell much of our harvest. Now, we can store grain. For example, I currently have six quintals of teff in storage. Income from poultry helps cover seasoning, household, and other expenses.

In addition, I am considering converting my six rental houses into chicken houses to expand my poultry farming.

Since my wife is now managing much of the poultry operation, I am preparing to focus more on honey production and to begin beekeeping in 2026.

"MaYEA helped us identify new opportunities and plan for the future. Today, I am confident that my children will have better opportunities because they can build on the businesses I have started."

Today, Abyot’s poultry farm produces about 150 eggs daily, providing a steady income for his family. With a total investment of ETB 130,000, he generated ETB 259,830 in gross income from egg and chicken sales, yielding an estimated net profit of ETB 129,830 in less than two years.

With the right training, mentoring, and determination, rural youth can transform challenges into sustainable livelihood opportunities and build a better future for themselves and their communities.

The MaYEA Program is a national initiative operating in ten regions of Ethiopia through a partnership between ORDA Ethiopia, the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), with funding from the Mastercard Foundation.