“VAHW Training changed my life”

Mankumari Gaire (Sita) was born in Chhahara, Palpa 34 years ago. She now lives in Khanigaun-5, Chapakhola, Palpa.  She couldn’t study further after she got married at the age of 17, while she was studying in 10th standard. She got confined to household works after marriage.

In 2071, Mankumari got opportunity to take 35 days Village Animal Health Worker (VAHW) Training from AHTCS with the help of Heifer International Nepal. Her life took a significant turn after that training. She started serving the community with full enthusiasm. She reaches the doorsteps to provide treatment and vaccination to the animals. She is renowned as ‘animal doctor’ in her village. She treats about 50 animals in a month. She has also kept veterinary medicines worth 1 lakh 50 thousands in her house. Her income from selling medicines and curing animals reaches around 12 thousands per month. Not only that, she is also raising goats in improvised shed and produces vegetable from kitchen garden. She feels proud for being able to manage the expenses of her three children’s study by her own. Her husband had been to Gulf for employment but now he has come back home and assists her in goat raising. She is also learning to drive scooter for convenience to reach people’s houses to treat animals. Mankumari is also working as a model farmer, being associated with a women’s group as the secretary. An organization named Dayitwa had rewarded her with 25 thousand rupees to encourage her entrepreneurship. On her own initiation, a dipping tank has also been made in her village with financial aid from Heifer International Nepal and District Livestock Service Office Palpa.

“VAHW Training changed my life and the credit for this goes to AHTCS”, she says, “even introducing myself in front of people was very difficult to me before getting the VAHW training but now I am capable enough to conduct trainings alone.” She expresses gratitude to AHTCS and its staffs for whatever she is today.