Africa

Last week we told you all about now Piggy’s Birthday fundraiser had been helping the wonderful Ismael (https://www.facebook.com/AnimalRescueTz) expand and improve his shelter in Tanzania, giving hope to many street pups, including the four new adorable ones, being housed in the brand new kennels.

By now you’ve probably learned that Ismaels shelter, the first in mainland Tanzania, is just one of the amazing projects we’re working with in Africa.

We have our partners at Rafiki Wildlife Foundation, in Tanzania who, together with the District Game Officer and the Management of Burunge WMA patrol the local area to help minimise the human animal conflicts in the region. The Babati District is rich in wildlife with the patrols frequently encountering a number of wildebeest, elephants, impala, zebra and waterbuck, as well as giraffes and buffalo.

In Morocco, earlier this year we started another wildlife habitat restoration and school rebuilding program with local Moroccan partner and fellow UN animal group RAPAD-Maroc. (https://rapad-maroc.org/), who have spent the year tirelessly sheltering and caring for the well-being of hundreds of abandoned animals on the streets, as well as attempting to educate the local communities.

Just a couple of months ago we were telling you about the work of our very own Dr. Tara Clarke (http://darwinanimaldoctors.org/saving-madagascar-together)

Working on one of our most recent projects Saving Madagascar Together: Community Youth Environmental Program. Using the brilliant Youth Rangers program to provide an immersive course, supplementing the environmental education program run by Association Mitsinjo, in the Andasibe National Park. (http://associationmitsinjo.wordpress.com)

We are currently working towards partnerships with local schools across Madagascar and in the Arusha community in Tanzania to implement our Youth Rangers Programme and Piggy’s humane education.

But we’re not stopping there!!!!

In September Sarah, our Community Development Manager, gave an amazing talk at the Africa Animal Welfare Conference about the Guardians of the Forest Youth Ranger programme she created for us at Darwin Animal Doctors to implement around the world. (http://darwinanimaldoctors.org/2020/09/)

Since then, the team has been in talks with organisations in Kenya and Zimbabwe, discussing the Youth Rangers Program and how it can be developed for communities there. Pwani Animal Welfare in Kenya is just one of the organisations we are looking to work with in 2021! (https://pawmombasa.co.ke/blog/)

So Sarah has been working flat out to develop the program, not only for the new partners in Kenya and Zimbabwe but also for existing partners, with Phase 3 now nearing completion where the main part of the program is for youth rangers to create their own community conservation projects, with support from the rangers/teachers.

So 2021 will be a year of Africa: developing Morocco, Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe. Exciting times are ahead!!!!