b'Alongside their booming poultry business, the demand for their goats also spiked. They take very good care of their livestock, shared Debasish Rout, project coordinator for Heifers partner agency in the area. Their goats have a different sheen and traders are often ready to pay [an] extra amount to buy from them. As their household income grew, Babilata and Sanjay started other small enterprises. We invested that money to start a small grocery store and a confectionary shop. We purchased a paddy hulling machine. We are earning from all these sources, Babilata said. We have learnt about self-reliance and [now] its about living it.With additional support from Hatching Hope, Babilata and Sanjay decided to build on the fruits of their labor and expand their poultry business to include a small-scale, solar-powered hatchery. The couple buys eggs from local poultry producers and keeps them warm in an incubator attached to a solar panel. When the chicks peck their way out of their shells, they are vaccinated to protect them from diseases and sold to nearby poultry rearers, who raise them and keep the supply in the marketand nutrition and income for their familiesintact. This is [a] new process and a good innovation for us. You wont see another hatchery anywhere in our village,Babilata operates incubating machines that keep eggs warm Babilata shared, confidently operating the incubatingand expedite the hatching process.machines. The chicks from [our] hatchery will help us Babilatas small-scale hatchery is helping backyard poultry producers like her scale their poultry business, increase their household income and improve the nutrition of their families.HEIFER.ORG |45'