Rebecca Cheruto, a mother of six grown children and a grandmother of three, lives in Baringo North Sub-County, Saimosoi Location, Chabatsiat Village.
For many years, Rebecca depended on charcoal burning as her main source of income. Like many women in her community, she had limited livelihood options. To provide food and pay school fees for her children, she cut down trees, despite the environmental damage and government restrictions. Though harmful and exhausting, it was her only means of survival.
Her life took a difficult turn when she developed obstetric fistula during childbirth. The condition not only affected her health but also exposed her to domestic violence. Eventually, her husband abandoned her and married another woman. With the help of a well-wisher, Rebecca received medical treatment. Although her husband later returned, he had fathered more children, placing additional strain on the already limited family resources.
For years, Rebecca had heard about organizations working in her community but believed such opportunities were meant only for educated people. Deep-rooted cultural norms often excluded women from decision-making processes, reinforcing the belief that women could not lead or benefit from development initiatives.
This changed when ActionAid Kenya began working in her area through the Africa Women Voices for Peace project, which seeks to promote peace and includes a strong component on women’s economic empowerment. Through community sensitization, the organization introduced programs focused on building skills, opportunities, and leadership among women, something Rebecca and many others had never experienced before.
Rebecca participated in a poultry farming training organized by the project, which covered production, pest management, and disease control. The training completely changed her perception of poultry farming, which she had previously seen as having little economic value. For many participants, it was their first experience with formal training.
Following the training, the women received incubators to support chick hatching. With her new knowledge, Rebecca learned how to operate and manage the equipment. During the first hatching cycle, she successfully hatched 230 chicks, proving poultry farming could be a reliable source of income.
She sold some chicks and raised others for egg production, steadily increasing her household income. Her improved earnings also enabled her to contribute more to her Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), strengthening her financial stability.
Today, poultry farming is Rebecca’s full-time livelihood. She manages every aspect of production, hatching, feeding, vaccinating, cleaning, and monitoring the health of her flock. She has upgraded from a basic structure to a modern poultry house, raised above the ground to protect against predators, fitted with wire mesh for ventilation, and designed to maintain high hygiene standards.
Rebecca is now preparing to expand her enterprise to supply poultry at a wholesale level, having already secured a bulk buyer.
Her journey reflects resilience and transformation. Moving from environmentally destructive charcoal burning to sustainable poultry farming, Rebecca’s story highlights how empowering women with skills and opportunities can restore dignity, protect the environment, and create lasting change.
“I didn’t see value in keeping chicken, but after being trained on poultry farming, I have seen its double advantage. I can use chicken for domestic consumption, improving my family’s nutrition, and earn income from selling eggs and chicken. This is far better than charcoal burning, which was climate-unfriendly and exhausting,” says Rebecca Cheruto.
Rebecca has adopted agroecological practices to manage pests, using homegrown pepper and aloe vera as natural remedies for her chickens. This approach has reduced her reliance on industrial insecticides and medications, making her farming more sustainable.
Rulia Nelline, Project Officer for Africa Women Voices for Peace Project, notes the broader impact:
“The training on alternative livelihoods was widely embraced by the women. Most have diversified their sources of food and income, leading to increased savings in local Village Savings and Loan Associations. This has significantly strengthened women’s empowerment in the community.”
The Africa Women Voices for Peace project, which has enabled stories like Rebecca’s, is supported by the Judith Neilson Foundation.
Author: Rulia Nelline, Project Officer for Africa Women Voices for Peace Project. Edited by: Ezra Kiriago ,Communications Coordinator ActionAid Kenya