Volunteers Engaged in Gender-Responsive Technical Solutions (VETS)

Volunteers Engaged in Gender Responsive Technical Solutions (VETS)

Goal: Improve the economic and social well-being of marginalized people, particularly women and girls, in six countries through animal, human, and environmental health (One Health) initiatives.

Target Group(s): Women, men, girls, and boys, with a focus on women and small-scale farmers in rural areas.

Where: Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Duration: 2020-2028 (8 years)

Reach: VETS aims to reach 318,059 people directly.

The Situation

In the global south, small-scale farmers, particularly women, face significant challenges including limited access to animal health services, exposure to zoonotic diseases, and vulnerability to climate change impacts. These issues are exacerbated by gender inequalities, which restrict women's access to resources, decision-making power, and economic opportunities.

What We Are Doing

With the support of skilled Canadian and national volunteers and local partner organizations, we are addressing these challenges through a gendered, One Health approach. Key activities include:

Training and Capacity Building: Providing training to improve animal health, sustainable agriculture practices, and economic opportunities for women farmers.

One Health Demonstration Sites: Establishing farm-based sites to demonstrate and share best practices that integrate human, animal, and environmental health.

Volunteer Deployment: Sending 190 Canadian and national volunteers to support local partners and build community capacity.

Gender-Responsive Approaches: Ensuring all activities promote gender equality and empower women and girls.

Community Health Days: Conducting outreach to disseminate information on public health, nutrition, and zoonotic disease prevention.

Innovative Solutions: Introducing disease surveillance systems, telehealth initiatives, trained animal health workers, and the Gender Model Family approach to support sustainable development.

Project Targets

The VETS project aims to reach:

• 13,782 local ministry staff, community workers, and partner organization staff/volunteers
• 318,059 small-scale farmers and their families
• 851,254 family members of small-scale farmers

The VETS program is possible because of generous funding by Global Affairs Canada.

Cambodia in Context: Structural changes in agriculture and rural economies have increased the need for women's participation in labor-intensive activities.

Key VETS Activities:

• One Health Demonstration Sites for sustainable farming.
• Training on animal waste and fodder management.
• Supporting women's income generation activities.

Ghana in Context: Ghana faces systemic challenges around gender equality, social protection, and women's empowerment. Agricultural practices and climate change impacts significantly affect rural livelihoods.

Key VETS Activities:

• Capacity building in poultry production.
• Engaging women as Community Animal Health Workers.
• Implementing agroforestry practices to enhance biodiversity and soil fertility.

Kenya in Context: Deforestation and unsustainable land use are major challenges. Women play a significant role in dairy production but benefit less from value chains.

Key VETS Activities:

• Promoting sustainable dairy farming practices such as improved feeding and breeding.
  
• Establishing zero grazing units to optimize land use.
  
• Enhancing milk processing and storage facilities to improve dairy product quality.

Laos in Context: Ethnic minority women face significant barriers to accessing opportunities and resources, exacerbated by poor environmental hygiene and water sanitation practices.

Key VETS activities:

• Promoting improved waste management practices.
• Supporting food security through livestock production.
• Engaging women in leadership roles in animal health.

Senegal in Context: Deep-rooted cultural and religious norms hinder women's financial independence and decision-making power in farming.

Key VETS activities:

• Supporting women through microfinancing.
• Training women as Community Animal Health Workers.
• Environmental conservation initiatives and sustainable water management practices.
  

NOTE: VETS activities in Senegal completed in 2023.

Vietnam in Context: Traditional gender roles and economic development pressures create significant barriers for women, especially in rural areas.

Key VETS activities:

• Improving production and health of micro stock.
• Training women as Community Animal Health Workers.
• Establishing One Health Demonstration Sites.

NOTE: VETS activities in Vietnam completed in 2023.

Sustainability

VETS aims to establish sustainable One Health systems integrated with national strategies in the six target countries. By training local actors and strengthening existing structures, the project ensures long-term impact and resilience.

Human Rights

The project centers on a rights-based approach, empowering women as key actors in One Health activities. By addressing gender inequalities and improving access to resources, VETS promotes health equity and community well-being.

Gender Equality

VETS is informed by gender assessments in each country. Key strategies include: ensuring women's engagement in training and project activities, achieving gender parity in community organizations and cooperatives, providing leadership training to women, supporting women in non-traditional roles (e.g., Community Animal Health Workers).

Environmental Sustainability

VETS adopts climate-smart agriculture and sustainable practices to minimize environmental impacts. One Health Demonstration Sites promote sustainable techniques, and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments guide environmentally friendly practices.

Charles Nkanata, Extension Officer, Meru Dairy, Kenya

Partners

A key strength of the VETS program is that it works through the knowledge and expertise of established, local NGOs and community organizations in Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. In turn, VETS strengthens the internal systems of partner organizations and encourages local decision-making processes.

Looking back: VETS and COVID-19

In 2020, the first year of the VETS program, COVID-19 made international travel impossible. Despite that, work moved ahead. Together with our local partners and local experts, we completed community needs assessments, as well as specific assessments into gender relations and the environment. Training began in the communities, both in-person and over radio sessions, with the assistance of national volunteers. The project also developed COVID-19 risk communication messages and training tools designed to help people protect themselves.

Learn more about the first year of VETS.