Africa-Press – Uganda. Three H. Model Nursery and Day Care School in Kyotera Town Council, Kyotera District was operating like any other school before the lockdown.
But when schools closed in March 2020 as one way of curbing the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, Ms Harriet Naddumba, the school director, sought about another business to keep ends meet. This was poultry farming.
Ms Naddumba says venturing into poultry farming had never crossed her mind, but redundancy caused by the Covid-19 induced-lockdown forced her since she had accumulated debts.
“Three months before the closure of schools, I had acquired a loan from Centenary Bank and another one from Stanbic Bank with an aim of constructing more structures for my pupils. Little did I know that the loans would turn out to be a burden to me,” she says.
By the time the government closed schools, Ms Naddumba says she had registered about 370 pupils from Baby to Top Class and all were day scholars.
As the situation became unbearable, Ms Naddumba reveals that in June last year, she decided to utilise some classrooms to start up a productive business since her home had limited space to house the chicken.
She bought 200 broilers and 200 kuroilers to kick-start the project.
“I have not been into poultry farming before, but I had no option. When I realised that schools could be closed for a long period, I decided to seek advice from other farmers who had been in the business for long and they have been guiding me,” she says.
Ms Naddumba says she does not regret venturing into poultry farming.
“When we were told to stay home, I was spending much of the time in my poultry farm. I currently enjoy the business because looking at the hens and cocks keeps me smiling. I consider it a physical exercise when I move around collecting eggs and filling the feeding troughs of my birds,” she boasts.
The mother of five says on average, she gets Shs1m from the poultry per month although most of the money is still being reinvested into feeds.
Ms Naddumba says the business has enabled her children attain skills in farming.
“I am glad that my children have utilized this long forced holiday very well. They have gained experience in poultry farming and I am sure they will always do it as a side business even when they grow up,” she adds.
The school director explains that the two major challenges she has encountered are diseases and limited market.
Ms Naddumba says the school business will continue once schools reopen.
“We are already preparing another place where we plan to put the poultry farm when schools reopen. We will fumigate the classrooms and do some painting before the pupils report,” she says
Ms Naddumba, however, fears that once the schools reopen, it may be difficult to find teachers because most of them are fed up with the profession.
“Most of the private teachers are struggling with life unlike their colleagues in public schools who continue earning salaries,” she explains.
She advises the government to reopen the schools and emphasize enforcement of Standard Operating Procedures.
Government position
Recently, Education minister Janet Museveni said the continued closure of educational institutions over Covid-19 is intended to safeguard the health of youngsters who are Uganda’s future.
On her twitter handle, Ms Museveni said the parents should be patient as the government ramps up vaccination of the vulnerable groups and learners aged 18 and above.
