Schools and colleges have reopened after a long closure caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but universities have not. While many students spent their unemployment, hardship and spare time hooked on TikTok, Likee, PUBG or Free Fire, Nafiz was busy making himself self-reliant.

With little capital he set up a Sonali chicken farm. Growing little by little, the hobby farm has become his source of income. Now self-reliant, he has been able to stand beside his parents.

Md Nafiz Ahmed is an undergraduate student (2019-2020 session) at Government Titumir College. He is the eldest son of Syed Mohammad Abdur Rahim of Laghalia village in Joydebpur upazila, Gazipur district.

On a visit, Nafiz was found busy at the farm he built with his own hands beside his home. He has named it Albarakah Poultry Farm. "I was inspired by people in my area to take this up. At first there were only 20 chickens on my farm. Gradually the number grew, and now there are 1,200," he said.

Asked what feed he uses to keep the birds healthy, he said he uses chemical-free feed made entirely by traditional home methods. The 1,200 birds need two tonnes of feed over two months. "Because I raise steroid-free chickens, local people often buy them even at a higher price," he said.

On the care of the birds and keeping the farm clean, he said he changes the litter every seven days, and a vet comes every so often to check that the chickens are healthy. He also avoids injections for fattening altogether.

He buys day-old chicks, and it takes about 60 to 70 days to raise them to a reasonable size. He then sells them just before they start laying. There is no fixed price; it depends on the weight of the bird.

Asked where the capital came from, he said: "I started with just Tk 500 from my father. With a few months of hard work I was able to stand on my own feet. My parents were always beside me. They never stopped me from trying something different; instead they gave me courage."

Asked whether he had a message for the younger generation, he said those of his age, younger or older, who dream of doing something themselves to support their families should make themselves self-reliant through whatever work they are good at.

"These days there is not room for everyone in the job market, and people end up on the list of the unemployed. My message to those brothers and sisters is: if you have free time, don't sit idle — use it to build yourself," he said.

Written by Mamunur Rahman Hridoy, a student at Government Titumir College, Dhaka.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.