“One Hen” is a story that I picked up at the library to read to my girls about microlending. It plays strongly on our family theme of using what we have to lift up others. My oldest daughter, Destiny, has been involved in making our Kiva loan to Isabelle in Peru to start her clothing store. Destiny has been watching her payments come in and seeing that we can use our small amount to build up Isabelle’s wealth and her children’s health, and her community’s well-being. That’s a huge influence for $25.

Likewise, I do similarly in my Lending Club accounts. While we prefer not to borrow money in our family, we don’t see harm in using what we have to lift others around us.

One Hen is a story of Kojo, a little boy who lives in Ghana. He borrows a tiny amount of money to buy a chicken and with that chicken he makes his family stronger by giving himself and his mother an egg every week. The chicken lays five eggs per week, so that leaves a few for Kojo to sell. Selling his eggs each week gives Kojo enough money to pay back his loan, and after a few more months of diligent savings he can buy some more hens, and then some more. Kojo’s microinvestments into his tiny egg business grow his community by leaps and bounds.

The story follows Kojo and his egg business and the many people it touches through until Kojo is teaching his grandchildren about stewardship of their resources.

It’s a delightful story and easy for all ages to understand, though it has a lot of words, so readers should be 3rd grade and up. I think it’s a great book for families to read and discuss together.

The illustrations are also beautiful in the book. The animals, and colorful market scenes and happy children. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.