Chicks at 20 days: Healthy and Growing!!

The Face of LIVEBIRDS: An Interview with Floridah

Meet another employee of LIVEBIRDS.  This time the spotlight falls on Floridah.  In this brief interview, you will meet a woman of compassion and commitment. 

§  How did you find about Livebirds?  

I first learned of Livebirds from Misheck, when he was working as Officer for
Orphans and Vulnerable children through SIM. I met him in the beginning stages, before Livebirds was established when a team from Warehouse 242 arrived to see how they can begin income generating activities in Zimbabwe.

§  What were you doing before?

Prior to Livebirds, I was volunteering my time as a caregiver who looks after orphaned children in the community. 

§  What role do you play in the Livebirds business?
I am a salesperson responsible for selling the chickens when they come from the farm. I also provide a refrigerator which stores about sixty chickens after they are butchered and which I then use to sell in the community around me.

§  Tell me about the rest of your life... I am 43 years old and have three children.  My husband used to work at a place called Border Timbers and was forced to leave due to cut-backs within the company.  At this time I was struggling to raise my children until last year when he eventually found employment and is now working and can afford to look after the family.

§  What does an average day look like for you?
I am a housewife in addition to being a salesperson.  When I am not at home or at church I will either be paying visits to the orphaned children in my community. I also meet many customers on my trips to and from Mutare to Chikanga, where I live.

§  Can you tell a little about your testimony?

I was brought up in a Christian family, and am married to a Christian man.  We both strive to raise our children in a Godly way. I also have a passion for orphaned and needy children and enjoy helping them through visiting them on a regular basis and by providing support and companionship to them.

§  What can we be praying for you personally about?
Pray for my family, and that my children will be Godly and bright in their schoolwork.

§   What do you love most about Zimbabwe?  

I love the many friendly people, who are so caring even when they have so little to give. I also love that our culture values an extended family system that seeks to look after the needy in our society. 

§  Lastly, please say anything you would like for us here in America to know about you.
I am a respectable woman, cool, and reserved. I love using my time constructively and seeking to help others.

Update about Progress(LIVEBIRDS ZIMBABWE)

Greetings Friends!
We apologise for infrequent updates on our webpage-we shall do better.
We thank God that we managed to sell all the 100 chickens that we had in February and March.
Currently we have 169 healthy, strong birds in inventory.

We are working hard that we secure sales so that soon as they are mature we will sell them in a week or two. The loss rate is at 16% vs goal of 7%. We are looking to improve in the next batch that we should buy within these next two weeks. We intend to have a steady supply of chickens in and around Mutare.
We thank God for the money that we received for the delivery truck-cum-taxi. We shall buy a strong vehicle which shall be used for deliveries as well as doubling as a taxi. 
 
We thank God for the very committed business members, we hope the enthusiasm continues...recently one of us(Bob) was struck by a scorpion whilst at the farm, we thank God that the scorpions around are not poisonous.

Mish
Livebirds Team Leader