A local women's poultry cooperative, Kora Munyarwandakazi, based in the Gatunda sector of Nyagatare District, has registered encouraging growth since its inception three years ago, reports The New Times.

According to a member of the cooperative, Ereda Mukarushema, the cooperative started with 12 members each contributing 200 francs (RWF) a week.

She said: "We later extended the contribution to RWF1,000 a week and bought 250 layers that produce over 4,500 eggs a month.

"We have improved our lives since joining this cooperative. We lived in grass-thatched houses without mattresses. But we now wear only smiles on our faces as a result of poultry farming."

Consolee Nyirangendahimana, the cooperative president, told The New Times that they earn a monthly profit of RWF350,000.

She said: "With this profit we get, some money is saved in the cooperative's coffers and the rest helps our members to settle domestic issues like paying school fees for their children and other domestic needs."

She added that part of the profit is used to buy chicken feed and water.

She explained that the birds consume 30kg of feed and five jerry-cans of water a day.