Help A Mother Secure Her Family’s Future

Lila lives in rural Nepal with her ten-year-old son, Sanjay*. Like so many mothers in rural Nepal, Lila has to raise her children and run the household alone. With very few local jobs, Lila’s husband has to migrate to India for work, leaving his family behind for months at a time.

“We were in a very difficult financial situation,” Lila says. “I relied entirely on my husband’s income.”

Lila tried her best to provide for her children. Her youngest son Sanjay lives at home, while her eldest son is in Kathmandu completing high school, as education in the district finishes at grade 10. But despite Lila’s best efforts, her income was barely enough to provide the essentials.

“Before, I primarily grew wheat and maize, which provided a limited income,” says Lila. “I could only afford to buy stationery for the children and save when my husband sent money home.”

When ADRA began the GOAL II project in her local community, Lila was eager to participate. She saw it as her chance to earn an income for herself and her children.

Through the project, which is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), Lila received agricultural and financial training, as well as a variety of vegetable seeds for new crops.

“As part of the training, we received vegetable seeds, drip irrigation systems, plastic tunnels, and nursery materials,” Lila says. “I learned how to prepare bio-fertiliser by using locally available resources such as cattle urine, sugarcane juice, and herbs. The project also taught us about the importance of greenhouses and nurseries – how they protect vegetables from direct sunlight, strong winds, rain, and other harsh weather conditions.”

Thanks to the seeds she received from ADRA, Lila is growing a variety of vegetables including cucumber, capsicum, eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, and chilli. Lila no longer has to buy vegetables at the market. Now, she grows enough for her family’s personal consumption, as well as having plenty left to sell.

Sanjay says, “Among the vegetables that my mother grows, my favourites are beans and cabbage.”

ADRA worked with the municipality to establish a local market so the farmers from the project had somewhere to sell their produce. The farmers pool their produce and then negotiate a price and sell to traders.

“My income has increased approximately ten times compared to what I used to earn from maize and wheat farming,” Lila says. “Vegetable farming demands more effort and attention compared to wheat and maize cultivation, but the income it generates is truly impressive. And everything is under my ownership!”

For Lila, the biggest difference is the financial freedom she has to earn money and provide for her children without worrying about when the next payment will come from her husband.

“After being enrolled in the GOAL II project and starting vegetable farming, I have been able to generate my own income and become self-reliant,” says Lila. “Now, I can afford to buy enough essentials for my family and even save money from my own earnings. I no longer have to rely on my husband’s salary for daily expenses or savings.”

With the boost to her income, Lila has the means to send her eldest son to Kathmandu so he can complete his high school education. She intends to do the same for Sanjay.

“If I hadn’t been part of the project, my financial situation would have remained difficult,” Lila says. “The situation has improved significantly now. I am able to send both my children to good schools for better education.”

“My favourite subjects at my school are English and Nepali,” Sanjay says. “I enjoy playing football with my friends during break time. And I like to make sketches.”

Lila also dreams of supporting her eldest son through his bachelor’s degree. It is her wish that she can do the same for Sanjay, too.

“We aim to send our younger son to a good school in Kathmandu after he completes grade 10 here. I also plan to continue with vegetable farming. Currently, we face challenges with regular irrigation, but once this issue is resolved, I aim to increase production in the future.”

Your gift by June 30 can provide mothers like Lila with the seeds and training they need to provide for their family and send their children to school. Donate today to help a mother secure her family’s future at adra.org.au/EFY.

*Name changed for child protection purposes