Brooke Ethiopia Country Director, Desta Arega
The Brooke (an International Animal Welfare Charity) was founded in 1934. Since then it has helped to relieve the sufferings of millions of toiling donkeys, horse, and mules. Indirectly therefore it has improved the livelihoods of the countless people who depend upon them. The Brooke has been operating in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
As Ethiopia is one of this charity implementation sites, the suffering of equines has decreased following the intervention task. The Ethiopian Herald had a stay with Desta Arega, Country Director of Brooke Ethiopia, to familiarize esteemed readers with the Charity’s movement. Excerpts:
Herald: Tell us about your organization and its activity in Ethiopia?
Desta: For the past 13 years, Brooke Ethiopia has been working on equines to make the aforementioned animals free from suffering. We started our movements in Southern Nation and Nationalities State. Then, we spread our activities to three states in Amhara, Oromia and Southern Nations and Nationalities.
We made vast projects to alleviate the plights of vulnerable working horses, donkeys and mules. Through developing the societies knowledge and building clinics for equines as well as via training clinical experts on the sector our charity has been supporting the community.
We also give revolving fund for each district where the projects made accessible sustainable fund for drugs and vaccine service for equines.
We are also supplying water for the society and for animals. For instance, Water points, lots of clinics built at a cost of about 40 million Birr were inaugurated last week in Arsi Zone Oromia State and in Halaba and Gedio Zones of the Southern Nations and Nationalities State.
Herald: How do you evaluate your success?
Desta: Totally, more than 3 million animals have been benefiting from the project. Even if our focus is for equines, other animals including wild animals are benefiting from the project. For example, the water stations built for equines also serve the wild animal during sundown.
From the numerous NGO’s active in the country, Brooke is engaged in a unique sector. So, we are successful to engage in a neglected and new angle. We have change agents at every echelon. This helps us to effect better changes on the sector.
The community’s feedback and that of the government have played quite a role to sustain our works. Recently, the government singled out Brooke as the outstanding charity from 55 NGOs in West Arsi Zone. We attribute this success to emphasis we give to the questions of the community and to our being cost effective.
As to the survey we have conducted, before our project implementation in some areas, about 70 percent donkey had been bearing wounds. The same story was true with horses. After the implementation of our projects, such wounds have decreased by 14 percent. And our objective is making it downsizing it to zero level through training the community. Especially, these animals relive drudges traditionally set aside to women. So we train women to care for their animals.
As pack animals, donkeys and horses were suffering when they were taken to market to transport owners’ goods. Apart from not getting their meals and water as necessary, they were subject to heavy down pours and a scorching sun. But now after sheds are built around market squares by Brooke, the equines get enough rest and meal.
Herald: How do you assess Ethiopian community awareness on animal’s lives?
Desta: Awareness change is apparent among community members. Previously, the society used to abandon the animal that fell sick. But now they have knowledge that the animals could recover if treated well.
But still in other parts of the country such animals after a backbreaking toil are seen left to die on the streets. Such phenomena are not uncommon to see even in the outskirts of Addis Ababa. It is also usual to see these animals around the states and even around the area of Addis.
The ailing animals stay on the streets without food and water. It will not be hard to surmise the situation would be very harmful for the society. When such things happen, as it is a public health and sanitation issue, Brooke has a Mercy killing project to kill these street animals without
experiencing suffering. It is done via and scientific ways. The project has been implemented communicating with pertinent government bodies checking the animals’ status and whether they have owners or not. The project has already started at Halaba Southern Nations and Nationalities People State and it is extending its wing to Addis in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office.
Community members who use these equines are very poor in the urban areas. So they cannot lead their lives without pack animals. So, our organization has made them cooperate and create jobs in other ways without hurting their equines. They have been given start up fund and they are working to change their life.
Herald: How do you assess the government’s role in the lives of equines and how much do the government bodies are extending support to address the problem?
Desta: We are handling our tasks in collaboration with the government. We use government offices, they supervise and give us necessary services when we are on work, so it is cost effective. They are very supportive.
Herald: Do you work with other stakeholders in order to have scientific background for better implementation?
Desta: We work in collaboration with Liverpool University and Addis Ababa University veterinary colleges in order to conduct research on fungus-borne disease which could be transmitted from the wounded animals. We discuss on other different issues.
Herald: Is there a possible system in the country to transform the lives of equines?
Desta: Equines’ support for human beings is very high but they are systematically neglected. There are strategies for other animals on dairy farming and the like on part of the government even at global level. But there is no strategy even at the national level. Policy makers need to heed them include them as to their contribution. We are creating awareness and we are participating on national strategy and I hope this animals live will change when the policy come developed.
Herald: What are the challenges your organization is currently facing?
Desta: The donkey slaughter has a big challenge for us. Brokers have been buying donkeys via contraband from Ethiopia. The donkey slaughtering houses in Ethiopia are shut down as such a practice is not in harmony with the community‘s norm and culture. But, similar slaughtering houses opened on the Kenyan boundary is still casting a shadow on Ethiopia’s donkey. Ethiopia has the highest number of donkeys in the world but the illegal market is highly challenging it.
Herald: What can we expect for the future from your charity?
Desta: Our budget is growing day to day. And our target has been increasing. So we are working strategically to add our destination areas. And we will do our task. And we are going to create relationship with partners and will work together through funding them.
Herald: At last do you have anything to say?
Desta: I think we are doing our best to protect equines from suffering and it is a humanity act, but we feel ours is a little act given the enormity of the task. If the equine strategy developed at a national level, and if it included in extension package, it will be one of the government’s task. Then, our task will be just building the capacity and it will increase our outreaching task.
The country’s wealth regarding equines is very high and it is impossible to think development without them and the government needs to give emphasis for the issue. We will also be exemplary for other African countries.
Herald: Thank you very much.
Desta: Thank you.
The Ethiopian Herald March 29/2020
BY GENET FEKADE
