“It all started with a good idea and a small loan that made it come true. It all started with one hen.”
The story of One Hen is based on a real boy from a poor village in Ghana who decided to use small loans along with hard-work and dedication to create a profitable life for himself, his family and his community. This is a truly inspiring story which showcases how one small contribution from a lending firm can have such a widespread impact on a community. The main character Kojo uses the leftover money from his mothers community loan to buy a small brown hen which provides eggs to the family and are sold at the local market. Kojo also uses a scholarship to attend a agriculture college and then uses another loan to start his own farm at home. Throughout the story the reader is always reminded of what came before the current activity and the importance of the One Hen is acclaimed over and over. This story is powerful to read to younger children, to assign to older children and to read as adults. It is a great reminder of how one small donation and much determination can change the world.
The text arrangement follows a pattern throughout the book. On one page (either left of right) there is a large section of text while on the other, there are illustrations and a short rhythmic verse which summarizes the text. The rhythmic verse is comparable to the well known “This is the house that Jack built..” story. I like the composition on the book because it relates to the pattern of the story. In the plot, each event is determined by the previous and will have an affect the next- the pattern of the illustrations and text match this pattern in plot. I found that the style of writing was very soft and that it flowed easily. I feel that the kindness of the characters and the dreamy nature of Kojo is portrayed perfectly through the writing. If written with a harsher tone I think the readers susceptibility to the magic of the story might have been jeopardized. While reading I felt like I was an eye witness to Kojo’s dreams. I followed each section of his journey with anticipation as to what he would do next and the possibilities that awaited.
The illustrations carry much of the magic of the story. The colourful pictures depict Kojo, his family and friends, his surroundings, and his dreams. At first glance the reader will notice the main action of the plot that is occurring, for example when Kojo goes to the market to sell his eggs. When the reader looks more closely they will notice the imaginative pictures that appear on the page- large hens dressed as people or flying everyday objects, for example. When observing the pictures I felt that they depicted Kojo’s thoughts and dreams; the important pieces of his life are accumulated through the visual representations. There seems to be no limit on where or how they are placed; this effect specifically made me think of the dreams Kojo has. I loved this aspect because of it inspired my imagination- I took a few minutes after reading each page to look closely at the illustrations to make sure I didn‘t miss anything. Eugenie Fernandes used soft lines and bright colours to create beautiful artwork to accompany the soft and colourful storyline.
I would love to meet anyone that can say they didn’t find this book inspiring. The combination of text and illustration in this book are sure to make anyone feel like change is possible and that they are capable of making a difference in the world (no matter how big or small). At the back of the book the true Kojo, Kwabena Darko from Ghana, is described which adds even more inspiration to the story as the reader can now clearly see the power of determination and small loans. In addition to Kwabena’s story there is also a “What can you do to help?” section which provides information on how to contribute to microlending organizations around the world. I was so happy to find this book and I believe that I will remember the story for a long time to come.
Visit OneHen.Org to learn more about how Kwabena Darko inspired this story and how this story came to inspire children around the world to become global citizens.
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