For an ordinary rural Indian family their water buffalo means the world to them as it provides the family throughout the year with milk, butter and other value-added dairy products such as cheese and buffalo fat. As a result most of the buffalo live in such close association and proximity with the family that they are often treated by the women who traditionally take care of them as one of their own siblings. Besides providing on a daily basis the family with much needed fresh milk that is richer in fat and protein then that of dairy cattle they are also their greatest capital asset. So it is crucial for the family to make sure their buffalo is looked after to the best of their abilities. A sick water buffalo usually spells disaster. So when Subhash Badoni, the regional vet for the Tehri Dam district in Uttarakhand, India was called upon by the Mount Valley Development Association he immediately went for it. Knowing very well how crucial the wellbeing of a buffalo can be for a rural family. As it turned out the buffalo had recently given birth and suffered overnight form uterine prolapse. Untreated it would have most probably resulted in the loss of the buffalo. Although hard to reach Subhash eventually managed to get in time to the farmer to treat the suffering bufallo. Knowing very well the emotional distress and the financial strain this might cause on the family Subhash agreed at the end to a very basic fee that merely covered his costs of getting there. It is thanks to actions of organisations like Mount Valley and people like Subhas Badoni the world becomes a better place. And why stories and actions like these, no matter how small, should be out there for the rest of the world to know.
Mount Valley Development Association is small ngo that works towards improving the quality of life for rural people by promoting livelihood initiatives along with early child care and girl child education. The association organizes women, youths, and children to form different community-based organizations to link with different government schemes such as bank linkages, employment and livelihood schemes. It advocates for effective governance by empowering women to take active participation in local self-governance. Subhas Badoni was trained by Mount Valley. As the government vet is rarely available Subhas Badoni is in reality the only vet that reaches out to the rest of the communities.