Kindness to Animals has no Boundaries
September 2022
Dear Animal-Kind Friends,
(Live links have been removed, but you can always go to our AKI Blog page or the individual Partner Organization page to read more)
We thought our Partner Organizations and recipients of our Africa-Based Animal Welfare Organization Grant Program could say it best. Here’s why they hope you will support animal welfare in Africa:
Our Partner Organization, Have a Heart-Namibia: In general, Namibians care about the wellbeing of their pets a lot and are willing to share their last meal with them. Many people are beyond thankful when HaH offers support. Everyone in Namibia knows HaH is much needed! But there is no way to do successful and adequate fundraising in a third world country with just 2.5 million people, where more than *43.3%* of the population live in multidimensional poverty (for comparison: the worldwide poverty rate is 9%).
From 2022 AKI Grantee, Hero in my Hood: Although our educational material has been used extensively within the animal welfare arena in South Africa, the moment we received the grant, it was as if we received a boost. “Wow, people from other countries, 1st world countries think your work is good. It must be good then.” Our credibility soared. People looked at our work in a new light as it was now internationally recognised. Social media buzzed and we got new followers, both local and international. We are now even more determined to get books to more children and thus improve the lives of animals in their care. It is awesome that an international audience can also be inspired by our positive messages.
From 2022 AKI Grantee, Pwani Animal Welfare: Especially in areas where there’s little community awareness, like animal welfare, it’s difficult to raise funds. For animal causes, local aid is scarce, almost non-existent, and donations from outside Kenya are the only way that we can be effective. Pwani works predominantly in the Muslim community and advocates against cruelty and violence towards dogs and demistifying the notion that dogs are impure in Islam. We have made strides, but we still need financial support from outside Kenya to survive.
Our Partner Organization, Uganda Society for the Protection & Care of Animals: In Uganda, especially in urban areas, we have seen some positive changes in the way people view dogs and to a lesser extent cats. Many Ugandans adopt their pets from The Haven, when we ask for help, some donate animal food and supplies but very few Ugandans are in a position to donate money. The USPCA greatly appreciates all the support and donations from overseas because without these, we wouldn't be able to exist, we would have to shut down and animals in dire need of our help and care would be left to suffer, a miserable life that they do not deserve.
The answer is a combination of financial need and moral support. Financial need is obvious, moral support less so-but it’s amazing what donations—along with supportive words—can do when you’re working to help animals in poor countries and you often feel so isolated. We appreciate both, the financial donations and your kind words of support!
Updates from AKI’s Partner Organizations
These are our most recent AKI Blog posts with updates from our Partner Organizations:
HAH Update: August 2022: From January through June, 31 dogs and 9 cats received vet care through our AKI-HaH Emergency Fund and 150 dogs and 26 cats received their Lifetime Care treatments (check-up, boosters, and anti-parasite meds for all HaH spay/neuter clients-for life). This AKI Blog post is about some of the lucky cats and dogs, who got the help they need thanks to our AKI donors! (Photo below: 10 week old Sean from Windhoek had a large abscess, most likely from a bite by another cat. His treatment was covered by the AKI-HaH Emergency Fund—which means YOUR donations!)
Kingston Community Animal Welfare: About 90% of KCAW’s financial needs are covered by AKI donors (yet KCAW could do so much more if we could raise more!)….it’s still so difficult to raise money for animal welfare from within Jamaica. This AKI Blog post is about some of Kingston's cats and dogs who your donations to AKI have helped. (Photo below: Andrew, a caretaker for a construction company in Kingston, found a little kitten all by herself on the sidewalk. He couldn’t just leave her there, but he really can't afford to look after her. So he contacted KCAW for help (her story and more in this update).
Bam Animal Clinics-Uganda: AKI donors support Bam Animal Clinics' donkey welfare activities in eastern Uganda: humane saddle making trainings and free community clinics for donkeys. Sometimes the number of owners who bring their donkeys to the clinics is more than Bam ever dreamed they’d be able to treat in one day—but they keep at it until every donkey is seen and given the care they need. A total of 215 donkeys were treated in one day at an AKI-supported Bam clinic a couple of months ago!
Sauvons nos Animaux’s Animal Friendly Camp: Every year since 2016, our Partner Organization, Sauvons nos Animaux in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has held a camp for kids. What’s so special about the 6-week long camp? It’s all about animals. A great sign: the number of kids has grown from 6 the 1st year to over 240 this year! Please help us make sure Paterne can hold the Animal Friendly Camp every year-with a donation to AKI for SnA! (We also support the SnA animal shelter, which cares for about 200 animals!) Read about the camp in this AKI Blog post.
More Updates
Uganda SPCA new Haven: Next online for construction at the new Haven site is to extend the block walls and erect some new walls to minimize the noise from the shelter. We want to remain good neighbors, so this has become a priority. Right now it’s the rainy season in Uganda, so construction has been …ssssllllooowwww. But please don’t slow down your donations, we still need you!
We also say goodbye to Myra, USPCA volunteer for over a decade, who moved back to the UK. “Volunteer” really doesn’t capture Myra’s role at the USPCA. She will be missed by the dogs, cats, staff, and all of us who relied on her expertise, her caring, her commitment to the USPCA. We wish you all the best in your new life in the UK, Myra! (Myra below with Alex and some of the 1st dogs to arrive at the new Haven)
South Sudan Spay/Neuter Campaign: It’s been a while since we reported on the progress on the 1st Spay/Neuter Campaign in South Sudan, which we’ve been fundraising for, gathering supplies for, and those on the ground have been gathering all the government approvals needed—there are many—and covid hasn’t helped! This month, the team was focused on the latter—getting the missing approvals and obtaining new approvals from newly appointed government officials. We have the funds, we have the supplies, we have the trainers (Kenya SPCA), we have many of the Juba-based lead participants in place. We have high hopes that we’ll be able to hold the s/n campaign before the year is up—or soon after.
Africa-Based Animal Welfare Organization Grant Program: Our nine 2022 grantees have started their grant projects and we’ll tell you all about them in AKI’s October newsletter!
Pet Portraits for only a $12 (or more) donation to AKI! Check out the variety of Pet Portraits available, and then donate and request yours today! They make great holiday gifts:
None of this would be possible without YOU! As always, we are: Very Gratefully Yours, Karen Menczer, Founder/Director & the Animal-Kind International Board AKI has Partner Organizations in Uganda (2 partners), Namibia (2 partners), DR Congo, Ghana, South Sudan, Liberia, Honduras, Jamaica, and Armenia. You can donate to AKI’s general fund or designate your donation to one or more of our Partner Organizations. Our 2022 grantees work in: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa (3 grantees), Zambia, and Zimbabwe. AKI: Since 2007, helping animals and the people who care for them in some of the poorest countries. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; donations to AKI are tax deductible in the US to the extent the law allows. 100% of your donations go to our Partners & Grant Program.