"When I take some of the eggs to the
market, I find the perfect spot to put
down my basket.
Then, I use the money I earn to
pay back Mom and buy more
hens.
When I buy more hens, I have
more eggs to sell."
Kojo is a young boy, whose family has little. Kojo has a dream, and an idea to make that dream come true. His mom needs a loan to buy a used sewing machine. When she has a few coins left, Kojo convinces her to lend the coins to him. He uses them to buy one hen. When that hen produces eggs, he has one for his mother, one for himself and three to sell.
Using that money to pay his mother the money he borrowed, he has enough to buy more hens. Obviously, the number of eggs produced increases; now, he has some money to save. That money allows him to attend school, buy new glasses, and learn more and more about caring for his chickens. As he is able to buy new things, he dreams bigger. He keeps saving, keeps learning and earns a scholarship to attend college where he learns more about chicken rearing.
"I become a chicken man!"
He is able to start his own farm, buy land, and even more chickens. The bank will not lend him the money he needs; they think he is a bad risk. He goes straight to the bank president, pleads his case and is rewarded for his hard work and determination. Now, he has more hens, staff to help him, and food to help feed the village. It is quite the expanding success story.
Back matter introduces readers to Kwabena Darko, the man who built the biggest poultry farm in Ghana. There is also information concerning microfinance, a guide for further discussion and a list of resources.
It tells much the same story as Ms. Milway told in her first book, One Hen (Kids Can Press, 2008). This time it is adapted for a younger audience. Tequitia Andrews creates artwork that provides a clear setting and context for understanding the concept of microloans.
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