Milly Jooga

Sometimes it’s quite difficult to get to a client and it’s easier to take the picture in town. We do try to get to their business, but when it comes to agriculture, the farm may be several hours walk on a narrow path through dense vegetation. The villagers really want you to come to their homes, and with some people you just can’t say “no”. Milly is one of those special people to whom you just can’t say “no”. And if you did, you know you would have missed out on something special.

So, off we went. It took about an hour. We passed by many rural mud and twig huts, passing lots of children and lots of small individual plots of land. This is sustenance farming: plots that grow a few banana trees, with sweet potatoes between, some cassava, beans, a coffee plant, yams, etc. Most have no income, no job, but the land is fertile. Most have chickens but rarely can one afford a cow, pig or goat.

Milly’s pride is her cow. Actually she has two cows. The one in the picture is old and gives less milk now. Conversations with neighbors tend to be about how your cow is doing and how much milk did you get yesterday, etc. Milly’s daughter and her family live next to Milly. There are many children. We passed by a corral where a small child was resting under the shade. Milly told me that this was her granddaughter and that she had broken her leg three months ago. Her leg was twisted and allowed to heal in place.

Milly wants to trade her old cow for a newer one that will produce more milk. For now, she will use her loan to buy food and medicine for her cows.