“I never imagined that a few chickens and a training course could change my life. Today, I can support my children’s education on my own.”

Suntali Danuwar is 55 years old. She lives in a small, remote village in the rural municipality of Indrawati, Nepal. A member of a marginalized community, she is one of those quiet yet determined women who, despite economic hardship, have always strived to give their families the best.

An active member of the Vangtar women’s self-help group, Suntali seized the opportunity to attend a two-day poultry farming training organized by Heart of Nepal with support from the CIAO KIDS Foundation.

The program covered chicken housing, feeding, disease prevention, vaccination, and small-scale farm management. For Suntali, it was a first.

Armed with the knowledge she gained and with the support of a revolving fund, she set up a small poultry farm behind her house. A few months later, her chickens were producing eggs, which she began selling to the Panchakanya primary school and at the local market. Thanks to this income, she was able to buy school supplies for her children and even start saving.

As part of the project, each woman who receives chicks commits to passing on chicks from her own farm to another woman in the group. Suntali donated 35 fertilized eggs to Sarita, who had also completed the training. Sarita was then able to start her own farm. This system of sharing creates a true virtuous circle within the community.

Thanks to her determination and the support of the field teams, Suntali has become a role model in her village.

She now inspires other women to believe in their potential and take charge of their future—proving that it’s never too late to plant the seeds of change.