Balancing Opportunity with Education
Bezawit Builds Her Future Through Poultry Farming
At only 20 years old, Bezawit Nega moves with quiet purpose through a warm, sunlit poultry shed on the outskirts of Debre Berhan in the Amhara Region. She is now part of a rapidly growing poultry enterprise supported by the Biqu Wetat (ብቁ ወጣት) programme in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and supported by UNICEF. The programme is helping thousands of young people across Ethiopia gain skills, earn an income, and build more secure futures.
“I had been preparing for university,” Bezawit says, “but when my Grade 12 results weren’t high enough, I realized I needed to find a different path.”
It was a turning point, one that might have closed doors. Instead, it opened a new one. Throughout secondary school, Bezawit had helped her sister run a small household poultry operation, an experience that built her confidence. So when she heard about a youth poultry cooperative starting up in Debre Berhan, she didn’t think twice about joining.
“I joined immediately,” she says. “The training we received through the programme was completely different from what I knew before. They taught us practical skills, from managing feeding schedules to keeping chickens healthy and maintaining basic records.”
After completing both technical and business training, Bezawit paid a membership fee to formally join the enterprise. She and the other members then set up their poultry operation. The programme provided 600 chickens to help them start, and the group has since invested their own savings to buy an additional 200 birds.
The group is already looking ahead and planning for the future.
“We’ve already discussed how to expand,” she says. “We want to open egg shops so we can sell directly to customers, and we’re applying for loans to increase the size of our shed. I’m also building connections with other producers and local vendors to strengthen our market links. If we work hard, we can succeed, and I’m determined to grow beyond a basic income.”
What makes Bezawit’s journey even more remarkable is her commitment to continuing her education. She works at the cooperative during the day and attends nursing classes at night. The balance is demanding, but she believes it is essential for her future.
“I encourage my classmates to work during the day as well,” she says. “If they can start a small business, even better. I believe every young person can succeed when we balance opportunity with education, as long as we stay brave and motivated.”
Bezawit’s optimism mirrors the broader goals of the Biqu Wetat programme, which aims to equip 120,000 young people in conflict‑affected regions of Ethiopia with practical skills, mental health support, and pathways to employment by 2027. Its mission is to help young people like her learn, earn, and build resilient futures for themselves and their communities.
