AKI News-April 2021
We’ve started to plan our 2021 Africa-Based Animal Welfare Organization Grant Program. This is our 4th annual grant program, and for those of you who have applied previously, you’ll see some changes to the application form and the schedule. On May 15, we’ll post the 2021 application, guidelines, and FAQs. You’ll find them on the AKI website, on the AKI Facebook page, and we’ll have a link to them in AKI’s May newsletter. We’ll be accepting applications from June 1 to 15. We’ll review applications from June 16 to July 31, and on August 1, we will announce the grants we’ll be supporting.
As in previous years, we’re hoping our donors come through with additional funding for 2021 grants. The more donations we receive for the grant program, the more grants we can support. Over the past 3 years, we’ve heard from many donors who have supported AKI’s Africa-Based Animal Welfare Organization Grant Program. All have felt their donations had a great impact; it’s very satisfying knowing that when you donate, 100% of the donation is used for all or part of a grant to a worthy animal welfare organization. You can read about the grants we’ve supported over the past three years on the AKI Grants page (and also see below, the AKI Blog).
With a 2020 Africa-Based Animal Welfare Organization Grant, Sauvons nos Animaux in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo built the quarantine pen in the forefront and the dog pen in the background. SnA runs the only animal shelter in eastern DRC.
Uganda SPCA: Update on land!
The plot we’re looking at: It’s two acres (just the right size!). It’s not zoned residential (perfect, no homes will move in next door). It’s readily accessible from Kampala and Entebbe (great for staff, volunteers, and rescuers). Water and electricity are accessible (good for hook-up fees). It’s a flat piece of property (no leveling required). An area designated as permanent open space is on one side (how wonderful for dog walking and lack of neighbors). The USPCA is about to initiate a title search. The problem: even though the price is below what we’ve been seeing in this area, it is still about twice the amount we’ve raised so far.
If the title comes up clear and the buyer is willing to accept the USPCA’s terms, we may try some innovative fundraising measures (don't worry, they'll be legal!). For those of you committed to seeing the USPCA grow and better manage the influx of cats and dogs, we will contact you if we think we can move ahead with purchase. Or feel free to contact us now.
We published four articles in the AKI Blog in April. Two are about our Partners and how they have used AKI funds and two are final reports from Africa-Based Animal Welfare Organization grantees.
Have A Heart-Namibia Update: Emergency Fund & Lifetime Care - Geesche (with AKI Partner HAH-Namibia) updates us on recent AKI-HAH Emergency Fund cases and Lifetime Care Program accomplishments. The picture above shows 2 of the 227 dogs, along with 28 cats, who in February received their Lifetime Care check-up, parasite treatment, and booster vaccination, all covered by AKI!
Save Animals-Armenia: “I do more than I show" - Nune (founder & director, SA-Armenia) is not one to talk much about her work for animals and her many accomplishments. In this blog post, we show you some of the dogs who SAA (and our AKI donors) are helping in Armenia.
AWES-Cameroon: Our grant helped the donkeys who help the cotton farmers - Dr. Martin Achiri reports on his AKI grant project that provided vet care for cotton farmers’ donkeys, raised awareness of basic practices that the farmers can do themselves, and organized donkey owners into an association that will help ensure this work carries on now that the AKI grant has ended.
Giving is Living-South Africa: 12 dogs gain their freedom - With their grant from AKI, GIL built or repaired fences around yards so that dogs, previously chained 24/7, can have freedom to move, play, and to just be dogs.
Why we do what we do-Liberia
Liberia Animal Welfare & Conservation Society became an AKI Partner Organization in 2016. As a Partner, LAWCS receives regular funding from AKI (v. grantees, who receive funding based on a proposal and are not guaranteed funding from year to year). Also, Partners can use AKI funds for their priority needs. LAWCS has purchased 4 motorbikes, they pay rent of their basic care clinic and office (at US$50/month), they pay salaries of their Humane Ed/Community Animal Welfare staff and for their para-vet, print Humane Ed materials, and they’ve held teacher trainings in Humane Ed. AKI also supports their community clinics (picture above, a clinic in March).
Importantly, LAWCS is the only animal welfare organization working in Lofa County, Liberia. But what really drew us to LAWCS is that 1) LAWCS staff live in the communities where they work. They are role models, sometimes the only role models for kindness to animals that children in the community see. 2) LAWCS has an intensive animal welfare program, targeting everything from basic care clinics to in-school humane ed to community humane ed. They reach everyone and turn communities from ones with very little regard for animals to communities with a deep understanding of animal welfare, showing kindness and compassion for animals. 3) They do all this at a fraction of what it would cost in the west.
I’ve seen it with my own eyes: When you reach Lofa County, the change is apparent. The puppies wandering around aren’t starved and downtrodden, they look chubby and confident. The dogs aren’t lurking in corners; instead they are living with their family, as an appreciated part of the family. You even see cats moving around during the day, out in the open, lazing in the sun as they clean themselves, not in fear of being chased - or worse. We think our investment in LAWCS has been-and will continue to be-well worth it!
Why we do what we do-Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston Community Animal Welfare has been an AKI Partner since the start of AKI in 2007. KCAW typically uses AKI funds to buy cat and dog food to feed street animals and to help low/no income pet owners provide food for their pets; to spay/neuter street animals and pets belonging to no/low income families; to purchase meds to treat animals in need; and for vet care, when needed (which it was for Milty, pictured above, who had pneumonia when Deborah/KCAW rescued him at just a few weeks old. He recovered and was adopted to a wonderful home earlier this year). We’ve also provided the funds to renovate the small shelter KCAW uses for animals who need to get off the street. KCAW is the only organization formed specifically to help Kingston’s street animals. And AKI is the only organization supporting KCAW. And together over the years, we’ve helped thousands of animals.
KCAW (Deborah and her network of animal care givers) reach all parts of Kingston. Nowhere is too far, too dangerous, too difficult. If there is a dog or cat in need, KCAW is there.
Having lived in Kingston in 2002-2003 and on weekends, traveling throughout the city with Deborah, I watched as really tough guys, who had previously never given a thought to the poor dog living on their road, develop an understanding of animals and start feeding the street dogs. I’ve seen women who would just as soon kick a dog as pet one, allow and even grow to enjoy having dogs live in their yards. These transitions happen because Deborah visits, talks, feeds, and never lets up until she wins the person over. Because each person you win over = many fewer cruelty cases. Deborah’s even been known to bring gifts for the adults and the kids of the families. Because it’s all for the cats and the dogs.
We are so grateful that throughout this difficult time, we’ve been able to count on your generous support.
100% of your donations go to AKI-supported organizations, our Partner Organizations in 9 countries: Uganda (2 partners), Tanzania, South Sudan, Namibia (2 partners), Liberia, Ghana, Armenia, Jamaica, and Honduras; and AKI's 2020 Africa-Based Animal Welfare Organization Grant Recipients who work in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (2 grantees), Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Please help us get the word out about AKI by forwarding this message to your friends and family who love animals. Please stay safe and healthy. With Gratitude, Karen Menczer, Founder & Director & the AKI Board