Esther Mburu is the Country Program Manager, Kenya at Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord.
Esther joined the Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord (VWB/VSF) team in May 2021. She is an experienced development practitioner and passionate about asset-based, community-led development. Esther holds a MA in Monitoring and Evaluation from Mount Kenya University and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and Community Development from Kenyatta University.
Esther has 10 years of experience in development programming, capacity building, monitoring and evaluation, and strategy development, with a touch of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and advocacy for women and youth-led development. Prior to joining VWB/VSF, she spent her time with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO), YMCA Kenya, and Caritas. Esther is avid about championing positive change by co-ordinating teams and initiatives for the attainment of community-driven solutions that are both sustainable and resilient.
#VETSVolunteerVoices aims to bring you the stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. Meet Ian Parfitt, a GIS Mapping Advisor who spent three months in Cambodia (January–April 2025) supporting organic agriculture and digital transformation with our local partner, AVSF Cambodia.
Megan Sylka, Senior Program Officer at VWB, shares how her recent visit to Kenya revealed the powerful ripple effects of the VETS program—highlighting how Community One Health Champion Shelmith Mwai is transforming her dairy farm, her family dynamics, and her community through knowledge, leadership, and collaboration.
This article examines how a One Health approach can transform food safety systems by addressing the interconnected health of people, animals, and the environment—highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration, innovations like Canada’s CFSIN, and global strategies to mitigate risks such as antimicrobial resistance, climate change, and zoonotic disease.
