I’m sure you’ve heard of Doctors Without Borders, the organization that travels to areas in need to provide medical assistance. But have you heard about a group of veterinarians that does the same thing?
Veterinarians Without Borders/ Vétérerinaires Sans Frontières (VWB/VSF) is a worldwide nonprofit comprised of people who have served and partnered with other organizations to promote animal well-being, human health, and economic development.
“Educating farmers means healthy livestock, healthy people, and healthy economies,” their website says. Veterinarians Without Borders’ mission is to advance human health and livelihoods in underserved areas by sustainably improving animal health and husbandry through education, veterinary service, enterprise development, and enhanced trade.
Three of the organization’s current projects are:
Festus Samah Educational Fund
Veterinarians Without Borders is financing the professional education of Festus Edward Samah and others. Festus is a Liberian man who grew up in refugee camps during the Liberian Civil Wars. He’s currently in his first year of veterinary school, and donations made to the organization and specified for the Festus Samah Educational Fund will be used to help him and others like him to achieve their veterinary education so they can return and serve their countries’ animals. VWB/VSF is trying to raise $45,000 for this initiative, and they are currently at 27 percent of their goal.
Ethiopia Milk Quality Project
Veterinarians Without Borders is backing a project aimed at improving the quality of milk products produced by local dairy cooperatives. The reason: Just one eight-ounce serving of milk a day can prevent stunting of growth, and two ounces of animal-based protein such as meat or fish can offset cognitive delays. By ensuring access to high-quality milk, VWB/VSF’s backing is ensuring that Ethiopian children grow up strong and healthy. It has raised 14 percent of its $85,000 goal for this project.
Uganda Disease Surveillance Project
Veterinarians Without Borders is partnering with Dr. Michael Apamaku in Uganda to diagnose and track zoonotic diseases—that is, diseases that can be passed from animals to people. Tuberculosis is a big concern in developing countries, for example, because it is easily transferred from livestock to their human households. Dr. Apamaku and his team are in desperate need of lab equipment to be able to do this crucial work. VWB/VSF is currently at 16 percent of the $150,000 they want to raise in order to buy diagnostic equipment.
To learn more about Veterinarians Without Borders, visit their website. If you’re moved to do so, please make a donation to the organization to support its efforts to improve animal and human health in the developing world.
Photo: An African child herds cattle. Photo via Pixabay