A 12‑year‑old boy from Denbecha, Ethiopia, named Markos Abaye, walked into the town’s primary hospital holding a chicken that had fallen seriously ill.
Markos explained to the nurse that the hen was wheezing and had not responded to any home treatment. The nurse, Umer Chane, advised him to seek a veterinarian instead, noting the hospital was for humans.
Still determined, Markos carried the bird to a nearby veterinary clinic where it received treatment. The encounter was filmed by the nurse and uploaded to TikTok, quickly accumulating "over seven hundred thousand" views.
The footage captured Markos’ deep affection for the chicken and his willingness to go to great lengths to help it. After seeing the clip, the video’s popularity sparked widespread admiration for the boy’s compassion.
In response to the story’s surge of attention, a local poultry company pledged to donate 100 chickens to Markos and offered training in poultry farming. Markos now plans to give the hens 12 eggs he has saved so the bird can lay them.
During the conflict that forced his family to relocate in 2023, Markos lived with his uncle in Denbecha, where he received the chicken as a gift after his grandparents feared for his safety. The boy’s bond with the bird is evident: he carefully watches her movements and even builds small bridges over holes in the ground to keep her safe.
The viral story has highlighted the power of child-led kindness and raised questions about how veterinary care and community support intersect in rural Ethiopia.
