: Vet’s Unique Free ‘Moving Classes’ Help 1 Lakh Villagers Treat Cattle Diseases #IndiaNEWS #inspiring The year was November 2008, and Dr Balaram Sahu, a veterinary doctor with the Odisha government,

@IndiaNEWS

Posted in: #IndiaNEWS

Vet’s Unique Free ‘Moving Classes’ Help 1 Lakh Villagers Treat Cattle Diseases #IndiaNEWS #inspiring
The year was November 2008, and Dr Balaram Sahu, a veterinary doctor with the Odisha government, was presiding over a training workshop for the rural population of Bhubaneswar. The workshop was being held to provide training to farmers in identifying and treating common diseases in cattle.
At this event, Dr Balaram noticed something peculiar. Among the 40 attendees at the workshop, there was only one woman.
“In rural areas, women play a significant role in farming activity, but somehow, their attendance at workshops like these is bleak. This worried me. She told me that many women in her village wanted to attend the workshop, but could not step out due to domestic responsibilities, such as taking care of the elderly and children as well as managing house chores. � Dr Balaram tells The Better India.
This problem was not limited to just one village. “Many farmers need such information to earn livelihood, but cannot access it due to personal constraints. Making a trip from the village to the city is also expensive for them. Moreover, the terminology used and the training imparted are often in English, and very few can understand the lessons due to language barriers,� he adds.
So he decided to take these lessons to those who could not come to him.
Women taking notes during a Pathe Pathshala.
Over the past 13 years, Dr Balaram has reached at least one lakh people across all the districts of Odisha, organising lectures on 50-odd cattle diseases under the initiative Pathe Pathshala, a moving classroom. He conducts these lessons by going to each village, talks in the local language, and holds them as per the villagers’ convenience and in areas where they are comfortable.
With music as his medium
Since 2008, he has been sparing time on weekends as well as government and festive holidays, to help villagers build their knowledge of treating cattle diseases.
He recalls that initially, approaching them was challenging. “They were sceptical about why a doctor living in a city wanted to visit a village and offer free knowledge. The locals had doubts on how helpful or practical the remedies would be and if there was any hidden intention behind the move,� he says.
To remove these fears and doubts, he approached the villagers in community spaces and common areas. “I started with casual discussions about the health of their cattle. I did not build a stage or put up big posters announcing the workshop. I had no external financial support from a private organisation or an NGO. I went alone, talked with the villagers with humility and sat alongside them,� he explains.
Explaining how he conducts these sessions, Dr Balaram says, “There are about 40-50 ailments such as fever, cough, gas and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), among others, that are reported commonly in cows, buffaloes and other cattle like goats.

Intraday stocks under 50 NSE India Twitter of India

Vote Up Vote Down

Login to post a comment!