In Namibia, AKI helps Have-A-Heart-Mobile spay/neuter and provide vet care for animals all over Namibia; supports basic needs (food, blankets, bowls) for several rural SPCAs; and provides supplies for the Katutura Pet Care & Food Distribution Project (serving the sprawling township of Katutura, where there is no other accessible vet care). Here's how AKI donor funds have helped in Katutura from November to February.
From Erika, AKI Namibia Liaison and Katutura Pet Care & Food Distribution Project (November 6, 2017):
We went dipping and feeding again last Saturday (November 4) and it was quite busy. At the first place we stopped (a Kindergarten), one of the dogs thought he was Superman and he was fighting with nearly every dog and we had to use water to chase him away.
At our second stop (another Kindergarten), the Municipality was laying big pipes and the street was scraped and divided into two streets and it was quite difficult to reach the Kindergarten. But we made it and they were all very glad to see us again. All of us worked very hard dipping all the dogs.
On the one photo there is a little guy with a green t-shirt and he has a mielie meal bag in his hand. In this bag was his cat which he brought so that we could powder it!
The food was quickly finished and this time (actually for the first time) I’ve seen a few thin dogs. So I reckon our bad economy is hitting the townships very hard now. Most of the dogs still look very good. There was a little basset hound cross which I would have liked to take home with me. And then there was a massive American pitbull which looked very good and we powdered him against ticks.
From Erika On February 12, 2018:
We visited Katutura on Saturday, February 10. There were so many small puppies!! But the owners told us that they have already homes for them. With the weak economy we currently experience there is so much stealing, also in the townships and the people there do not have any sort of protection besides dogs. So everybody wants one or two dogs (even if they cannot feed them properly). We will need to raise more money to do much more spaying and neutering!
The pictures are from the 2 locations that we always visit. We also need to expand to other areas of Katutura and for this, we need more volunteers.
In December, AKI asked Erika to tell us the plans and goals for, and the challenges faced by the Katutura Pet Care Project over the coming years:
1. In thinking about the upcoming 5 years, how do you envision your organization and programs?
We hope to cover more areas in the Katutura township and increase our involvement from one Saturday per month to two Saturdays per month. This will also mean that we must get more helpers and funds.
2. Aside from financial:
(a) Currently, what are your greatest challenges?
The biggest challenges are to help the people to get their sick animals to a vet and to negotiate with the vet for a fair price as these people are really poor and do not even have transport for their animals.
(b) In thinking about the upcoming 5 years, what are the main constraints to achieving your vision?
The biggest challenge is to educate the people and to spay as many dogs and cats as possible. Furthermore we would like to get a vet to come along on a Saturday and treat sick animals which are brought to be dipped and fed.
3. What do you think your organization does particularly well?
We have motivated the children to bring their animals to be dipped and also to bring their sick animals so that we can look at them and try and get them to the vet. Furthermore numerous dog and cat owners want their animals spayed and we refer them to Have-a-Heart who assists us and collects and spays the animals.
4. In what areas do you think your organization needs to improve?
We need to broaden our dipping and feeding. Currently we are only serving two different places in the township called “Okahandja Park" (which is part of Katutura). We want to try to serve other parts as well.