More than half of Rwandans live off less than RWF1,000 (about USD1) per day – a level of poverty that is acutely felt by single parent families in rural areas. Taking this problem, a team of five Davis College students designed an innovative solution to pitch at this year’s Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge (FGSIC) and were among the ‘Idea Grant Winners’ who will receive USD1,000 in seed funding for their project.

Their award-winning idea, which saw them place 9th out of 34 teams globally, is called ‘10CHICKS’ and aims to create positive social change through developing economic independence. The project involves delivering 10 chickens each to 100 single parent families in the Karongi District, who would be selected in consultation with the local government. Collectively, the families would be producing around 1,000 eggs per day, which they can then sell as their primary source of income. As participants in the project, the families will also receive training in financial literacy and advice about how to manage their chickens for the best returns.

The 10CHICKS project is projected to enable each family to generate approximately USD580 as annual gross income, which is positive progress beyond the poverty line. The money earned can help families pay for healthcare and schooling for their children, and start saving for the future. Furthermore, with access to eggs and chickens, families can also improve their health and wellbeing by including these protein sources into their diets.

To scale the project and maximize social impact, 10% of the collective profits made by the first 100 families involved would be reinvested into the 10CHICKS project and used to purchase another 1,000 chickens for 100 new families – and so the process would continue.

“The idea for the 10CHICKS project came out of empathy, because my team members and I have observed how poverty and unbalanced diets cause people to suffer. Also, the concept was born due to my courses, where I have improved my ability to think critically, to address the issues currently plaguing the community, and to put ideas into practice to solve problems. I am passionate about the 10CHICKS project because it is going to bring positive changes to our target audience as well as the community at large.

The FGSIC experience was eye-opening and inspiring, since it offered us time to reflect about the concept of 10CHICKS and allowed us to collaborate closely with mentors. I've definitely picked up a lot of knowledge from the judges and other contestants. My hope for the future is that the 10CHICKS project will take-off and I can also come up with so many more ideas to support the community.”
- Vanessa Uwase, Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Class of 2022

“Being surrounded by people who inspire and support me will always push me to keep finding and sustaining the best solutions that the community needs. I thank Davis College for the opportunity to showcase what social change makers are able to do and contribute to different SDGs. I thank our mentors (instructors) – it would be impossible to count all the ways you have helped us in this journey; we will forever be grateful for your guidance and kindness. And I thank the other participating teams for the encouragement and support during the whole process.

We not only won the Idea Grant of $1,000, but are also taking away priceless experiences and the chance to know our ability at an international level. We learned a lot and we have a lot to share too. We are so grateful for what we have achieved and excited to start the journey of implementing the project!”
- Pascal Niyomuremyi, Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Class of 2022

The FGSIC inspires student entrepreneurs around the world to connect and create sustainable business solutions to global issues. Participants receive countless benefits, including developing a deep understanding of a social or environmental problem, the ability to identify gaps in current solutions and create a viable business alternative, the chance to receive coaching and connections to a global network of changemakers, and the opportunity to pitch their venture for a share of USD75,000 in prize money.

Throughout the first half of the year, our Business Management & Entrepreneurship faculty held two rounds of internal pitches to determine which students would represent Davis College at the global finals. This year’s teams presented solutions designed to have a positive impact on areas like quality education, access to clean water, responsible consumption, and climate change. The 10CHICKS team impressed our faculty with the demonstrable sustainability and scalability of their idea, and went on to represent us at the (virtual) finals in San Diego in June. Davis College has been participating in the FGSIC since 2019 and we were proud to see our students achieve success in last year’s competition too.

Helping Single Parents Out of Poverty