Cow girl nun’s stellar work

By Bridget Brady
THEY call her the cow girl nun who inspired Australians with her courage and determination, but Sister Stella Ettadu is humble about her achievements.
Sr Stella, 71, first arrived in Victoria from India in 1974 and studied dairy farming and agriculture.
Last week, Sr Stella said she was delighted to visit Australia for the ninth time since her studies and reconnect with the people in Gippsland, including Pakenham and Cranbourne, she had formed such incredible bonds with.
“It is a pretty emotional time. It’s like a family now. No feeling of strangeness at all,” she said.
After she finished her studies, the intrepid Sr Stella embarked on a 55-day journey on a cargo ship when she volunteered to accompany 33 Friesian cattle to Calcutta. She was promised four cows and a bull in return, which she used to equip Indian people in “very bad and sad” conditions with the skills to make a life for themselves.
During her voyage, Sr Stella was the sole carer of the cattle and recalled delivering calves on rough seas. She fed, cleaned and looked after the cattle throughout the journey, and said it was remarkable that none of them died.
“It was pretty tough,” she said.
“I don’t know if this was bravery, but I know one thing- I was so well motivated to do something.”
Donations started to flow in from Australians who heard about Sr Stella’s bravery, and she was able to fulfil her dream to buy some land and set up an agriculture training program for people in India and later established Assisi Aid Projects.
Sr Stella said the projects, which continue today, were about providing farmers with the skills to manage their own livestock and “take responsibility for improving their life”.
A variety of development programs, including some for women, are carried out today to improve poverty in the region.
Sr Stella said Assisi Aid Projects wouldn’t have been possible if not for the generosity of Australians.
Warragul resident Bill Darmody said Sr Stella had given people the tools to make their lives better on so many different levels.
“And all of this work is done in a very quiet way,” Mr Darmody said.
Sr Stella said she was proud of what she achieved, but did not single-handedly make a difference to people’s lives.
“What I did, many people did.”