25-Year-Old Donkey Farmer and Milk Producer

Working with animals in the countryside is not easy and does not look like in the movies. Working with animals in the village is a serious responsibility, as you are responsible for animals that you see every day, pet, feed, and make sure they don’t catch a cold, stay hungry, or get sick.

With these words, our new local heroine, Stefania, began telling her own story.

Stefania has quite a unique story that’s worth reading until the end. She lives in Prilep, and to get to work, she travels five kilometers outside the city. At just 25 years old, she says she is happy and proud of her success so far. Those who know her will certainly say that she is a cheerful and positive person, always willing to offer advice and engage in conversations about her field.

Speaking of her field, the Kajak team is happy to introduce you to the first woman who has been raising donkeys and selling donkey milk for two years.

We asked her how she came up with the idea to pursue such a profession. She responded that it was mainly the literature she read as a child that inspired her to start producing donkey milk, initially for her own children, and later for the wider public.

The donkeys are kept in a stable surrounded by meadows, and in the untouched nature, they feel free and run across the fenced area.

Stefania says that besides the literature, which was one of the main motivations for starting her animal farming, her children were also a driving force. She constantly thought about how to treat them using natural and alternative methods when they were born.

Stefania shares with Kajak that in Macedonia, donkey milk is well-regarded for its medicinal properties. However, she adds that people are mistaken when they say that the milk is only good for the well-known black cough. She believes that this milk has proven to be a great protector of the lungs and highlighted examples of several consumers who used the milk while testing positive for COVID-19.

"This milk completely cleanses the lungs and is often used by people suffering from bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, and allergies. It is also consumed by those who want to improve their immune system and blood count," explains Stefania.

Milk is perhaps one of the few that contains vitamin "CE," and the benefits of consuming it have been felt by almost everyone. In addition to selling the milk, Stefania also makes handmade soaps that contain donkey milk, along with cold-pressed coconut and olive oils.

"Working with animals is not easy; my day is filled with caring for them. They need to be fed and given water, then brushed because they really enjoy being groomed. Later, I feel joy when I see them running across the meadows," she shares, adding that, just like with young foals, she regularly cleans the hooves of both the young and the adult donkeys every autumn and spring.

For her, this is a great joy. The play of the younger foals around her fills her with happiness every moment. Stefania says that every animal will be happy if it recognizes how you look at it with eyes full of love. For her, every beginning is difficult, but if you are an animal lover, the hardships will be forgotten with the first innocent gaze the animal gives you.

Stefania is another local heroine who, as of today, is part of the community of people doing small things with great significance for the development of tourism in Macedonia. If you want to contact her to purchase her products, you can do so by calling 075564341 or by visiting the Facebook page "Magareško Mleko."