From 3,000 to Tens of Thousands of Chickens: A Poultry Farm Driving the Economy of Tanamodindi Residents

Every change often begins with a simple step. In Tanamodindi Village, Palu, Ahmad Juweni chose to start with something close to everyday life. He manages a laying hen farm while creating opportunities for the surrounding community to grow together.

After the 2018 earthquake, Ahmad worked together with Human Initiative to develop a more structured recovery approach. Over time, their efforts evolved from emergency assistance into strengthening education and community livelihoods. The school they manage has continued to grow and gain the trust of local residents.

Ahmad then adopted a social enterprise approach. He runs the program with clear planning and measurable goals. Through this approach, every activity not only creates economic impact but also supports long-term sustainability. He explained, “This program must create benefits, especially in terms of the economy.”

In 2021, he began developing the laying hen business. At that time, he saw stable market demand as well as opportunities to involve local residents. Initially, one poultry house held around 3,000 chickens. Today, the number has grown to tens of thousands. As a result, egg production runs consistently and has become a new source of income for the community.

On the other hand, Ahmad connected the poultry farm with other sectors in the village. Corn farmers supply feed ingredients, while cooperatives help manage distribution. In addition, part of the business profits supports social activities within the community. Through this system, the program continues to run while involving more residents in the process.

The program has opened employment opportunities and helped increase household income. In addition, egg distribution supports the nutritional needs of local communities. Meanwhile, the team involved has also learned to manage the business in a more organized way, including financial record keeping and production management.

Togetherness makes every step feel lighter. When communities move forward together, a business that started on a small scale can continue to grow and benefit more people.

Looking ahead, Ahmad hopes to expand collaboration so the program can continue reaching more communities. Therefore, Human Initiative invites Dear Initiators to contribute through solusipeduli.org, so more people can have the opportunity to grow and become self-reliant together.