LIFE TRANSFORMED
Bóthar have recently begun to give technical support such as office supplies to our partners Heifer International in Nepal. To understand the projects that Bóthar are lending support too Heifer Nepals country director, Dr. Surya Bajracharya sent Bóthar the following story of a truly remarkable woman.
Butani Devi Majhi, 34 years old belongs to a very poor and so called untouched ethnic tribe called ‘Musahar’ of the Southern Terai Region of Nepal. She has a family of five members – her husband, one son and two daughters. As her tribal culture, Ms. Majhi got married at the early age of 14.Born in a very poor family; she faced numerous economic problems as well as social problems since her childhood.
In 2002 with the initiation of Prann project partner of Heifer Nepal in Rauthat district, formed a women’s group called ‘Atut Mahila Samuha’ and she was selected to act as the treasurer of the group. Her group received two female goats each. She cared them as her children – they are the only two assets own by her. The goats gave birth to a pair of offspring which she passed on to another needy member of the women’s group called Maharani. The second the goats gave triplets which she sold in good price. With this added income she renovated her small thatched house.
She also received training on group management and gender justice. She has also received training on vegetable farming, organic compost making, and snake bite healing from Prann. The knowledge and skills she learned from the training aware her on personal and family responsibilities. She has passed on the knowledge also to members of her family which has resulted in good family harmony.
Remembering her significant achievement she said, “I am able to buy my own 10 dhur land (1/6 hac) and have made my house for my family, my community seek help, advice from me. Now we don’t have to look for the landlord to borrow money, we have our own group saving and we don’t need any collateral to get the loan” “We are donor, now.”
She said, “Heifer and Prann has changed our life, I have social status, my children go to school, they have clean dress, my husband loves me, we care for each other, we share our feelings. “We have very balanced and respected life.”
Ms Majhi has won the Golden Talent Award for 2005.
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