A Mother’s Silent Sacrifice: A Story from the Goat Shed

[Manika Kunwar]

Life has a strange way of revealing its deepest stories in the most ordinary places. One such story unfolded while we were doing SALT conversation at a community, where we met an aunt whose life reflected resilience, sacrifice, and quiet pain. As we had a conversation together, she began talking about the lockdown days how staying indoors, eating regularly, and reduced activity led to weight gain. But the real turning point in her life came with tragedy. Her younger brother, who lived with her, suffered a sudden heart attack and passed away. Witnessing his death left her emotionally shattered. Soon after, she herself was diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure. Seeking a change, she moved to her elder sister’s house and began raising goats. Caring for the animals slowly helped her regain her physical health, but socially, it pushed her further into isolation. The dirt and smell that come with goat farming became reasons her daughters avoided living with her. Her pain deepened when even her elder daughter, who lives in Australia, remained distant during holidays. Though the daughter returned home on leave, she chose to keep a separate kitchen. The aunt shared how she had deprived herself of food and comfort to educate her daughter as a nurse. With a husband who did not work, she alone carried the burden preparing documents, traveling village to village, and managing everything needed to send her daughter abroad. Yet, despite these sacrifices, she feels unseen. Her daughters do not understand her struggles. Her husband shows little concern for her and sides with the children. She believes they avoid her because she smells from working with goats. They rarely speak to her warmly, and they no longer share their thoughts with her. What hurts her the most is hearing that they want to take only their father to Australia, not her. Those words cut deeply. When she shared her story with us, we couldn’t help but feel her pain too.

This is not just her story it is the story of many mothers whose sacrifices go unnoticed, whose love is unconditional, and whose pain remains silently buried behind daily labor and responsibility.

[Rituu B. Nanda]

What strengths did you see in her, Manika?