Lafaek News-Nataliso da Silva Monis (50), from Suco Caenliu Aldeia Maluhira, Lautém municipality, is one of the Ai ba Futuru beneficiaries. Living as a farmer is his choice since he knows the agricultural life from his family. He is happy as a part of #AibaFuturu because he thinks this is a very good activity and supports the progress of farmers’ activities in rural areas to enhance the farmers’ lives in the future. Until now he and his group Novu de Amigu never missed an activity that was supported by Ai ba Futuru in their Suco.

In November last year, Ai ba Futuru distributed ducks to beneficiaries in the target municipalities Manatuto, Baucau, Viqueque, and Lautém. Each group received 10 ducks, including the Nataliso group from Iliomar, Lautém. Even though his group consists of only 3 people, they are working well together in developing and maintaining what they have such as how to raise ducks and breed them well. Because of that, they now have more than 220 ducks.

Nataliso is very successful in raising the ducks. Although raising ducks is very different to raising chicken, he and his team developed the skills to raise the ducks. The daily tasks include feeding the ducks in the morning, afternoon, and evening with a combination of husk and water, controlling how they eat and to make sure that the ducks are outside but not get too far from the house. In the evening, Nataliso makes sure that all ducks are in their shelter. To avoid the little ducklings from being eaten by animals, he leaves them in the shelter.

In the future, Nataliso and his team are planning to improve the duck shelter and to make it even bigger. He is very confident that even when Ai ba Futuru finishes he will be able to continue and to have a good business in the future.

Many people don’t know what the benefits of ducks and eggs are for our nutrition. The eggs hold more antioxidants, more omega-3 fatty acids, and 59 % more vitamin A than chicken eggs. Moreover, ducks’ eggs offer more protein than chicken eggs. The protein can help you build lean muscle, maintain a healthy weight, and recover after exercise or injury.  If you are interested in purchasing ducks or eggs, please contact our beneficiary Nataliso directly; we will assist you in contacting him and his group.