A Cow in the Office

The last phase of our building was our cow shed. Once that was finished, we could bring our cows to our home. Cows have a very different life in Nepal and Kopila asked Kausila to describe her feelings about having a cow and how she looks after it. Soon this cow will be joined by Bishnu and her cow.  Part of Kausila's story has been omitted at her request.  Suffice it to say, she is a very brave woman.Kausila says:  I really love my cow these days. I am grown up in far western part of Nepal.  I haven't gone to school and my childhood was spent looking after cows and the buffaloes. When I was 13 years old, I got married to a man who was already got married two times and twice times bigger than me.  My life was ruined when I came to my in-laws house.  After having 2  children I knew that I was only slave of my husband and my in-laws.  They keep me doing their work and don't want me to improve myself so they kick me out from their house.  Now I am in Samunnat fighting for my rights and I also have my sister Kalpana.  She is studying in class 8 funded by our dearest Sarah Bartram's project called Project Didi.  I am very grateful to her and the project. Kalpana is studing very hard.  She is also very happy.Now my days are spending with full of joy.We have our cow named THOULI which means BIG because next one is also coming.  This is how I look after Thouli:  I wake up early at 5 morning and cook breakfast for her. It's all mixed rice, maize, some green saag (spinach) like we have with dhal and some lentils.  After feeding her I milk  her. I milk her two times in each day and she gives 9 litres of milk a day.  It's so good that everyone wants fresh milk without adding water.  I do not have to buy milk for my Khajaghar (the snack shop that Kausila runs in the little shop next to Samunnat's office) for milk tea.Looking after a cow is a great source of income and a way to financial independence for women. Some time ago we wrote about Sita whose cow has now calved. She looks after her cow at home and sells her milk. She was also able to sell the calf.  A cow is an expensive investment but one that usually pays off. We are very grateful to our friends and to Michele, Frank and Ron for the cows in our life!Subbha kamana naya barsha ko lagi!!! Happy New Year for 2016.