When the factory project stalled, the group faced a harsh reality: they had a successful harvest but no market. Hoping for a buyer, they delayed harvesting, only to discover the crop was beginning to rot. Forced to act quickly, they salvaged what they could, managing to sell 20 bags in local markets. The financial loss was significant, but it became a powerful lesson in timing and market reliability. Yet instead of giving up, the group chose to pivot, exploring a new venture that promised quicker returns and addressed a pressing need in their community

Through ForAfrika’s support, the Manyangwaya Farmers Group received financial literacy training from Equity Bank. A community-based enterprise assessment revealed a strong local demand for poultry, especially among refugee populations. After consulting with others already operating in the poultry sector, the group pivoted.

In February 2025, they secured a UGX 3,000,000 loan (about USD 852) at a low interest rate. With it, they purchased 500 Sasso chicken, poultry feed, and basic supplies for poultry rearing. The group quickly discovered that their decision to pivot was the right one, poultry farming offered better and faster returns than cassava. Within a month, they began selling birds, earning UGX 4,960,000 (about USD 1,409).

Encouraged by their success, they reinvested in 700 birds in April 2025 earning them sales totalling UGX 6,800,000 (about USD 1,932). With part of the income, they bought a motorbike to reduce transport costs and improve access to markets. In May, they acquired another 500 birds, now housed in two separate huts for brooding and rearing for meat.

Between June and September 2025, the group realized sales totalling to UGX 23,480,000 (about USD 6,670). They maintain 11 acres of farmland, dedicating most of it to maize production for poultry feed to reduce feed costs. They are exploring local feed manufacturing to serve both their needs and the wider community.

The business has garnered a strong reputation, and customers now place orders weeks in advance, paying a deposit to secure their orders before the birds reach maturity. This pre-order system has offered the group financial predictability and confirmed market demand.

Each month, after closing on sales, every member receives UGX 100,000 (about USD 28) from the earnings. The remaining profits are strategically reinvested into the enterprise. Currently, the group is constructing a larger, modernised poultry structure to accommodate increased production capacity. Looking ahead to next year, Manyangwaya Farmers Group has ambitious plans to diversify into layer birds, adding egg production to their income streams.

What began as a failed cassava project has grown into a thriving poultry business, one that is feeding families and building resilience, proving that with the right support, a setback can become a springboard for success.