Kenya

Situated on the equator on Africa’s east coast, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda and Sudan, with the Indian Ocean running along its southeast. From that coastline, low plains rise to the central highlands which form one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa.

Kenya has a tropical climate. It is hot and humid at the coast, temperate inland and very dry in the north and northeast parts of the country.

Producong and exporting mainly tea, coffee and horticultural products many of Kenya's 38 million population earn less than US$1 a day*.

Many of the people Brooke works with are desperately poor and depend heavily on their working animals for any form of income. These animals (over half of the 600,000 donkeys in Kenya, in fact) are often used for transport and tillage work.

Sadly, working horses, donkeys and mules are not sufficiently catered for by many of the animal health providers across the country.

We are achieving this in Kenya via partnerships with KENDAT and Practical Action.

• providing treatment services and promoting sustainable equine welfare amongst owners and users through -
  • Community Mobilisation and Response Teams (CARTs)
  • Local Animal Health Providers** (training and equipping them i.e. with basic first aid kits
• working to extend welfare legislation to include working horses, donkeys and mules and to promote improved animal welfare by public awareness events and developing links with government structures
• taking action in communities and schools – focusing on changing animal welfare knowledge, attitudes and practises
• strengthening relationships with the Department of Vet Service and local pharmaceutical outlets

*   BBC World Service country profile

** Local Animal Health Providers (LAHPs) are members of the local population - often animal owners themselves - who are trained by the Brooke in good animal health and welfare management. They deliver first aid and advice to owners.