Educating eight kids by rearing goats

PALPA, July 2: Radhika Kumal became the talk of the village after her eldest daughter Chumna passed her Intermediate level and became the only lady teacher of the village. Kumal, a mother of eight children; three sons and five daughters, raised and educated them with the income she generated by rearing goats.



Radhika, who hails from Gejha village of eastern Palpa started rearing goats since 17. She spends her entire day looking for grasslands where the goats can graze. Her shed always houses around 15-20 goats. With the earned money, she sends her children to schools and colleges. [break]



Her eldest daughter, Chuma teaches at Kumbha Lower Secondary School, a local school. “Mother sent me to school by selling goats, and that´s how I´m capable to teach others,” Chuma told myrepublica.com. Radhika wishes to educate all of her children and make them employed.



“My husband, Yamkant, looks after the farm and I look after the goats,” Kumal said. “Income from goats is enough to pay for children´s fees while that from agriculture meets house expenses,” she further adds. Yamkant has recently started to rear pigs. Last month, when a pig gave birth to 10 piglets, he sold them for Rs 1,500 each and made Rs 15,000.



Radhika rears local goats from the village and sells each for Rs 3,000 to 7,000. Buyers from neighboring villages come looking for her goats. With sufficient grazing area in the village, she said that she doesn´t have to feed grains to goats.

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