Meena of Chamba: A Mother’s Journey from Survival to Stability with Two Desi Cows

In the quiet folds of Chamba’s green valleys lives Meena Devi—a strong-willed woman who turned her humble cowshed into a beacon of hope. Her story is not about sudden wealth, but about steady strength and small wins that changed her family’s fate. Life in Chamba hasn’t always been easy for Meena. With three school-going children and a husband whose seasonal labor barely kept the lights on, each day felt like a tightrope walk.

“I used to sell milk to local vendors. They'd pay late—or sometimes not at all,” she recalls.

Everything changed when Meena heard of The Pahadans farm, a local initiative that promised fair pricing and consistent pickup from remote homes like hers. With just two desi cows—her lifelong companions—Meena began supplying fresh milk.

The results were almost immediate. Reliable monthly income meant she could finally budget for school books, medicines, and even save for her daughter’s wedding.

"I no longer fear emergencies. I have savings now. And that changes everything."

She’s now formed a collective with three other village women to pool resources and share tips on cattle care and milk hygiene. Meena’s story is a shining example of how ancestral knowledge, when respected and fairly rewarded, becomes a tool of empowerment. In her words, "My cows gave me dignity. And now I walk with pride."