At God Given Poultry Farm in Arua City, Mrs. Carolyn Nyamutoro's remarkable journey proves that with determination, the right support, and a willingness to learn, even the smallest enterprise can grow into a thriving business that changes an entire family's future.
Carolyn never planned to become one of Arua City's inspiring poultry entrepreneurs. Like many women trying to support their families, she was encouraged by a friend to venture into poultry farming. She started cautiously with fewer than 50 local birds, raising them on a small section of family land where she still lives with her husband, children, father-in-law and other relatives.
The business was difficult. Without proper training, quality breeds, reliable markets or enough capital, every production cycle was a gamble. Most of the income disappeared into immediate family needs before the business could grow.
At the time, the largest flock she had ever managed was about 100 birds.
"I worked hard, but growth was very slow," she recalls.Even then, giving up was never an option.
Carolyn's breakthrough came when she was selected to participate in the WeWork Project, implemented by Cordaid, an initiative aimed at strengthening women entrepreneurs through practical business development support.
Unlike many programmes that only provide financial assistance, the WeWork Project invested in knowledge, confidence and long-term business sustainability.
Carolyn received a comprehensive support package that included 150 improved poultry birds, 10 poultry drinkers, starter feeds, vaccination services, business mentorship and market linkages.
Equally important were the intensive capacity-building sessions that transformed how she viewed her enterprise."We received many trainings," Carolyn says.
"We learned financial literacy, record keeping, poultry management, communication, marketing and how to properly run our businesses. Those trainings changed how I think."
The project also connected her with financial institutions and business networks, giving her access to skills that many small-scale farmers rarely receive.Looking back, Carolyn describes the support with deep gratitude.
"To me, this support came from God. It opened a door that I had never imagined."
Armed with new knowledge and better production practices, Carolyn approached poultry farming differently.Instead of treating it as a side activity, she began running it as a business.She carefully kept records.She budgeted.She planned production cycles.She reinvested profits.Most importantly, she stopped consuming the business and instead allowed it to grow."I never knew I could do all this," she says with a smile.
"Today I am proud of myself. I can budget. I can save money. I can even contribute towards construction at home."
Those simple words capture a profound transformation—not only of income but of confidence.
The real breakthrough came after successfully raising and selling her initial flock.Carolyn reinvested the proceeds into purchasing 350 Sasso chickens, determined to test the business skills she had acquired.For three and a half months, she dedicated herself to caring for the birds.When they were finally ready for market, buyers came in large numbers.By the end of the day, every bird had been sold.The proceeds left Carolyn speechless.She was holding UGX 12 million in cash.For someone who had once struggled to keep fewer than 50 birds, the moment felt almost unreal.
"That was the proudest moment in my business journey," she says. "I sold 350 birds in one day and received twelve million shillings. I had never imagined handling that amount of money."
Rather than celebrating and spending the profits, she immediately reinvested.She purchased another 200 chicks, ordered an additional 200, and steadily expanded the business.Today, God Given Poultry Farm continues to grow with every production cycle.
For many poultry farmers, producing birds is easier than finding buyers.Carolyn no longer faces that problem.Thanks to market connections created through the WeWork Project, customers now come directly to her farm."When the birds are ready," she explains, "I simply communicate."
"Buyers from Congo come straight to my home. Sometimes they buy fiftybirds, sometimes sixty, sometimes even one hundred birds at once."
Reliable markets have given Carolyn the confidence to continue expanding production, knowing that demand already exists.
The success of God Given Poultry Farm extends far beyond Carolyn herself.She is a mother of five children, but her responsibilities do not end there.
She lives in a large extended household headed by her father-in-law, where 19 family members depend on shared resources.Before the poultry business expanded, paying school fees or settling hospital bills often meant selling household property or borrowing money.
Today, things are different.The farm has become a dependable source of income that supports education, healthcare, food and other daily necessities.
"Nowadays I can contribute to paying school fees," Carolyn says.
"When the children fall sick, I don't wait for their father to first sell something. I can also provide."
Her financial independence has strengthened not only the household economy but also her own confidence as a wife, mother and entrepreneur.
Perhaps the greatest transformation cannot be measured in money.Carolyn says that before joining the project, she often felt inferior to others.Watching successful people speak confidently made her withdraw from conversations.She doubted herself.She rarely imagined that she too could become a successful businesswoman.
"I used to feel like I was nobody," she says quietly.
"When I saw others doing something meaningful, I became shy."
Today, that woman has disappeared.Standing confidently among hundreds of birds she has raised herself, Carolyn now speaks with pride about budgeting, saving, planning and investing.
"Nowadays I don't feel the way I used to. I am proud of myself."
As her business continues to flourish, Carolyn's influence is extending beyond her own home. She is now an active member of a women's savings group where she encourages fellow women to embrace entrepreneurship and invest in income-generating activities.
Many women now look to her story as proof that success is possible even with limited land and modest beginnings.What started as encouragement from one friend has now become inspiration for many others.
God Given Poultry Farm also demonstrates how small-scale agriculture can contribute to environmental sustainability.Operating on a small piece of family land, Carolyn has embraced a simple circular farming model.Instead of discarding poultry waste, she uses chicken droppings as organic manure to grow vegetables around her home.The vegetables improve household nutrition while reducing expenditure on chemical fertilisers, proving that farming can be both profitable and environmentally responsible.
Although her journey has already transformed her family's fortunes, Carolyn believes her biggest achievements still lie ahead.Her dream is to construct a larger and more modern poultry house, significantly increase production and create employment opportunities for other young people and women in Arua.
She also hopes to strengthen God Given Poultry Farm into one of West Nile's leading poultry suppliers.For Carolyn, the journey from fewer than 50 birds to managing hundreds of chickens is not the destination—it is only the beginning.
Carolyn Nyamutoro's story is a powerful reminder that lasting change often begins with opportunity rather than charity. The support she received through the WeWork Project did not simply provide poultry birds; it built knowledge, confidence, business discipline and market access.
Today, those investments continue to multiply through every flock she raises, every child whose school fees are paid, every hospital bill settled and every woman inspired by her example.
In the heart of Arua City, on a small piece of family land shared with relatives, God Given Poultry Farm stands as living proof that empowering women entrepreneurs creates ripple effects that reach families, communities and future generations.
Sometimes, all it takes is one opportunity, one determined woman—and the courage to believe that a small flock of chickens can change an entire life.
By: Aldo ADOMATI - Host TV
