StorySonia

How a single cow has given Sonia her family new opportunities

Sonia (20) has an intellectual disability and comes from a highly vulnerable family in which her parents, two brothers and three sisters also have intellectual disabilities. The family lives in poverty in a house made of bamboo, cardboard and corrugated iron. Sonia attended special education at Niketan for many years. When she was 19, she was married off; the marriage ended after a month, and shortly thereafter she remarried, this time to a man who also has an intellectual disability. In August, she gave birth to a son.

Due to her difficult home situation, Sonia received income-generating support from Niketan. A cow was purchased, which is of great value to the family. The cow is officially registered in Sonia’s name, but because she is caring for her baby, her father and brother have taken on the daily care of the animal. The local Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock provided practical training for this.