Progress being made in Tanzania

Here is a report on October activities from AAA's partner group in Tanzania:

"Tanzania Humane Charity (TAHUCHA) extends its sincere thanks and appreciation to Animal Aid abroad (AAA) for enabling it to work towards the main goal of improving working donkey’s welfare conditions in the Geita region of northern west Tanzania.

Working donkeys in these areas play a great role in the context of income generation for households and for the nation at large, but they are the most abused and they suffer from pain and wounds.

They work in a wide range of environments that includes kilns, households, markets, small scale mines and forests. In all places they do a work of tractors and vehicles, and are badly beaten, which ends up with pain, exhaustion and wounds. Urgent and persistent aid for emergency medical response and humane education is required to save the lives of donkeys from pain and suffering.

Since on our arrival 2016 up to right now, animals especially working donkeys are suffering silently in some areas with no chance of veterinary care. We address this by deploying vets in rural settings where they are needed most. Once animals are treated, humane education and training is usually provided concurrently.The result has been a legacy of good on-the-ground welfare for donkeys and improved livelihoods of people.

In the month of October we have been able to serve donkeys in the rural settings of Bukombe District through mobile and outreaches and the issues that have been in focus are donkey wounds and pain as a result of ox yoke harnesses, overworking, overloading, beating and signs of illness.

Numbers at a glance in Namonge, Ushirombo, and Igulwa wards:

303 donkeys dewormed, dipped for the purpose of ticks and tsetse flies, their wounds dressed and successfully healed and various conditions of equine trypanosomes, babesiosis, trauma, tetanus, eye infections, and lameness due to hoof issues were treated.

52 donkeys in our care at TAHUCHA sanctuary were treated and recovered in one to two weeks and released back to their owners.

Once animals are treated, donkey owners are educated on humane handling of donkeys, in October 2020, 53 community members were educated on humane education.

I leant that serving animals in one of six districts needs to evolve to include wherever the need is, as animals do not know the borders humans have drawn on maps, wherever they are they need love, safe places and food security.

I am proud of that in any new community we first visit, we will have two things: a like-minded community of animal welfare advocates and a set of challenges unique to that community.

The first is always the solution to figure out the second.

Thanks to AAA for being keen to help TAHUCHA we request more support as our work is far from over in the District of Bukombe but, in Geita region with an extra five districts to go with donkeys in need, thanks for your input so far that enables us to evolve wherever need is with the endeavour to assist."