What do Vets Without Borders do?

• Animal health, human health
• Livestock is a question of life or death for the families of African stockbreeders
• Training local stockbreeders and veterinary technicians
• Encourage food security
• Encourage local and sustainable initiatives
• Active in 8 African countries

Animal health, human health

Veterinarians Without Borders is a Belgian NGO which carries out projects in Africa in order to improve the cattle breeding conditions. In many of these countries, where there is little rainfall or where there is often war, the livestock is a question of life or death for the population, and veterinary treatment is often non existent. When the livestock is ill, it is the entire village which is in danger. With the construction of a veterinary network in these regions, Vets Without Borders can fight against hunger and poverty in Africa.

Livestock is a question of life or death for the families of African stockbreeders

For 700 million people in the world, the quality of life depends on the health of their livestock. Cows, goats, sheep, camels and birds are part of the daily life for the families of African stockbreeders. The animals provide important revenues, but also protein at a lower cost. The livestock is also used for traction farming and as a source of manure for the fields. The milk and animals can be sold or exchanged for other means of subsistence. In short, the herd plays an important role in the local economy.

Training local stockbreeders and veterinary technicians

Vets Without Borders also trains both local stockbreeders and veterinary technicians. With the help of advice and basic methods, we teach farmers how to treat illnesses. The trained veterinary technicians receive a basic kit with medications and are given responsibilities with regard to the health of the animals in their community. Together they form a veterinary network which has never existed before. The veterinary assistants also play an important role in the large scale vaccination campaigns.

Encourage food security

By treating the livestock, Vets Without Borders plays a preventative role against hunger and poverty in Africa. Thanks to their livestock, the farmers can diversify their sources of income. They are less dependent on the harvest of a single crop, which can be completely destroyed by drought, floods or disease. In order for their projects to succeed, Vets Without Borders devotes a lot of attention to all of the people involved in stockbreeding. They learn how to ensure that the animals produce more milk or how to run Livestock Food Banks. The women are also given responsibilities.

Encourage local and sustainable initiatives

In all of its projects, Vets Without Borders focuses on aid for sustainable development. We support and stimulate existing local initiatives and, if possible, we collaborate with an existing local partner. We participate in the establishment of commercial outlets and we promote better commercial conditions. The aim is that the local population can, after a certain time, have more resources at their disposal and need no longer depend on international aid. We can then withdraw and transfer the project over to a local partner.

Active in 8 African countries

Vets Without Borders carries out projects in 8 African countries: Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Certain projects are cross-border: they are carried out by several countries and/or in collaboration with other international organisations. We primarily operate in the regions affected by drought and conflict.