Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord couldn't do the work we do without your support. Whether it's a financial donation or a donation of your time, by improving the health of animals you will be working to improve the health and quality of life for people throughout the world.
What We're Working On
In Sub-Saharan Africa, investing in animal health is essential not just for the well-being of animals but also for the prosperity of the local communities that rely on them for their livelihoods. This region faces unique challenges due to climate change, which underscores the urgency of adopting sustainable and climate-smart agricultural practices.
At VWB/VSF, we are deeply committed to working hand-in-hand with local partners and communities in Sub-Saharan Africa through a range of One Health projects. One initiative is the extensive Volunteers Engaged in Gender-Responsive Technical Solutions (VETS) program, generously funded by Global Affairs Canada. From 2020-2028, this program will deploy 190 dedicated Canadian volunteers on behalf of VWB/VSF to Cambodia, Ghana, Kenya, and Senegal. The primary goal is to uplift the economic and social well-being of marginalized individuals, especially women and girls, in six countries across Africa and Asia.
In South Sudan, VWB/VSF's local team is working to implement interventions that strengthen agricultural resilience, reduce vulnerabilities, and enhance the capacity of local communities to cope with challenges at the national level.
Similarly, our Community One Health Empowerment Rwanda and Senegal (COHERS) program is in close partnership with local organizations. Together, we are dedicated to advancing public health, veterinary care, and environmental policies under a single, inclusive umbrella. Our approach balances the well-being of humans, animals, and ecosystems throughout the region.
See below to learn more about each of our current projects in Africa.
To empower communities to improve health outcomes through One Health approaches to prevent, detect, and respond to prevalent zoonoses, including anthrax and cysticercosis.
Global Affairs Canada
Strengthening One Health Systems for the Protection of Health and Livelihoods (1-SHOP)To enhance the resilience of pastoralist communities in Torit County against animal diseases, including zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Zoetis Foundation
Volunteers Engaged in Gender-Responsive Technical Solutions (VETS)To work to improve the economic and social well-being of the world’s most marginalized people, particularly women and girls, in six countries across Africa and Asia (i.e., Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam).
Global Affairs Canada
In this article, wildlife health specialist and VWB/VSF Board Member, Jolene Giancinti (BHSc, DVM, PhD) answers common questions and reviews best practices around Avian Influenza Viruses (AIVs). The goal is to provide you with a technical overview and spark your interest in learning more.
Holding over 21 years of veterinary experience, Dr. MacKay has volunteered her time with VWB since the formation of VWB Canada in the early 2000s.
#VETSVolunteerVoices aims to bring you the stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. This blog (part 3 of 3) was contributed by Izabela Wlodarczyk, a Communications Volunteer with our VETS program in Laos (Feb-June 2024).
