“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 the 10th standard. She became confined to household work after marriage.

In 2071, Mankumari got opportunity to take a 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 goes to 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 thousand rupees in her house. Her income from selling medicines and treating animals reaches around 12 thousand rupees per month. Not only that, but she is also raising goats in an improvised shed and producing vegetable from kitchen garden. She feels proud to be able to manage the expenses of her three children’s studies on her own. Her husband had gone to Gulf for employment, but now he has come back home and assists her in raising goats. She is also learning to drive a scooter for convenience in reaching 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 rewarded her with 25 thousand rupees to encourage her entrepreneurship. On her own initiative, a dipping tank has also been made in her village with financial aid from Heifer International Nepal and the 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 for me before getting the VAHW training but now I am capable enough to conduct training sessions alone.” She expresses gratitude to AHTCS and its staff for whatever she is today.