In the remote land of Ethiopia’s Amhara region, a 12‑year‑old boy named Markos Abaye has become a hero after a video of him carrying a sick chicken to a human hospital went viral on TikTok. The clip, captured by nurse Umer Chane, shows a young man learned in rural life, offering the caregiver a deep affection for his feathered friend.
Markos’s story began when his beloved chicken began wheezing and refusing to eat. After trying every home remedy—medicine that never helped—he marched out the village wearing his shoes, seized the bird, and carried her to Denbecha Primary Hospital. The nurse, surprised, told him there were veterinarians in town but she could hardly believe it.
After a short time on the stairs, the nurse posted the video online. It has already collected more than 770,000 views on TikTok and sparked nationwide admiration. Viewers wrote that they could not stop smiling watching the boy’s untouched love for a living creature.
Markos ordered a veterinarian, who treated the chicken and declared her health improved. He encouraged his uncle to donate 100 breeds of poultry to him. Remarks about his love for birds also mentioned that he cares for neighbours’ hens, and even bridges the holes so no bird can fall.
After the viral video, a local poultry company pledged to donate 100 chickens to markos, and also offered training in poultry farming. The story illustrates that a solitary act of compassion can spark a wave of solidarity and change in a community where people may otherwise forget the kindness they can brighten others’ lives.
