Bill Gates' New Idea: Chickens for Every Family

Since stepping down from his active role at Microsoft, Bill Gates has dedicated most of his time to philanthropy. Yet, among the wide array of initiatives undertaken by his charity foundation, one stands out: the distribution of live chickens to impoverished families.

"I am convinced that anyone living in extreme poverty will improve their situation with chickens," Gates states. In accordance with this belief, he and his wife have donated 100,000 chickens to tens of thousands of poor families in Africa. When referring to poor families in Africa, it is important to note that these are families earning less than two dollars a day.

How do the chickens help these families? It's simple and inexpensive to raise chickens, so it doesn't place a significant burden on a struggling family. The eggs can provide excellent nutrition for children dealing with malnutrition, but farmers can also let the hens hatch their eggs and then sell the chicks. Of course, the family might occasionally enjoy a chicken dinner. Most importantly, the family will rise above the extreme poverty line, which is currently defined globally as an income of $700 or less per year. A farmer raising 40 chickens, according to Gates' foundation's calculations, can relatively easily increase their income to more than $1,000 a year.

Gates mentions that his goal is to reach a point where thirty percent of families in sub-Saharan Africa are raising flocks of vaccinated chickens—far more than the current five percent doing so. His wife, Melinda, similarly noted that chickens are known among third-world experts as "the ATM of the poor," because they can be sold quickly to cover unexpected expenses.