This year, our Africa-Based Animal Welfare Organization Grant Program was the most competitive yet. We received 50 proposals and selected 9 of them to receive a grant. Six grant projects will focus on dog and cat welfare and 3 on donkey welfare.
Our 2020 Grant Recipients are:
Cameroon: Animal Welfare Society
Democratic Republic of Congo (2 recipients): Save Animals-DRC (Kinshasa) and Sauvons nos Animaux (Bukavu)
Egypt: Animal Protection Foundation
Kenya: Nairobi Feline Sanctuary
Nigeria: One Health Development Initiative
South Africa: Giving is Living
Zambia: Zambezi Working Donkeys Project
Zimbabwe: Tikobane Trust
**************************
[Photo below: With the grant from AKI, Save Animals-DRC will produce 5 episodes of their Save Animals Universe TV show. Portions of each episode will showcase the efforts of SA's Animal Ambassadors. For example, Ambassador Boa Benaja organized an awareness raising campaign to convince people to STOP EATING DOGS AND CATS! As the campaigners were moving about N'Djili Common, they ran into this little girl with her pet kitty, who didn't need to be convinced not to eat her pet (but pets are often stolen by people who intend to eat them or sell them for food). She always has to keep a close watch on her kitty to make sure she's safe. Many of us were moved to help animals by TV shows we watched growing up, from Rin Tin Tin to Lassie to Animal Planet. That's the effect that Save Animals is hoping to have in the Democratic Republic of Congo with Save Animals Universe.]
On the AKI website, you'll find summaries of each grant project, a bit about each recipient organization, and some of the reasons we chose the 2020 Grantees.
We are beyond grateful to the very kind and generous donor who offered $2000 for a grant IF we could match it. And we're equally as grateful to all of you who came through to help us meet our match (we met the match and even went beyond it). It's only because of your generosity that we've been able to support 9 grantees this year.
The selection process was SO difficult. Luckily we had a hard-working committee for the 1st review of proposals. They recommended a sub-set of proposals to the AKI Board. For several applicants who didn't get a grant, we intend to help them with technical, admin, and fundraising support. There are so many really great organizations trying to change the way animals are treated in Africa. We will continue to help as many as we possibly can.
Above: AKI Grantee Sauvons nos Animaux, on the eastern side of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Bukavu (about 1500 miles and 40 hours by road from Save Animals-DRC in Kinshasa (above)) runs an animal shelter. With the grant from AKI, they will build 2 "sheds" (pens), one to house 25 dogs and one that will be divided into 2 sections, one for quarantine when a dog or cat first enters the shelter and the other section for cats and dogs who are ill or who arrive at the shelter with nursing young.
Paterne, the founder of SnA told us about the daily routine of the shelter dogs: "The well-being of our dogs and cats is one of our priorities. Our dogs are out for a walk every day and depending on the number of volunteers present, some may go out several times in the same day. Every day, they also enjoy moments of relaxation, among themselves, in our parks. We also walk our dogs in the forest as much as possible." All SnA cats and dogs are spayed or neutered thanks to the vets from Lwiro Primate Rehab Center.
New on the AKI Blog this month:
Araf Plateau Dogon's Respect for Fish Day: This post from Araf Plateau Dogon in Mali, where they work to improve the socioeconomic condition of women in rural communes and protect and improve the welfare of equids, mainly donkeys, is about the importance of fish to Malians and the abuse of fish and their habitats. Thank you to Issiaka Konate for contributing this informative article and for all you do to help people and animals in Mali.
From Helping Hands for Hounds of Honduras-as they navigate through covid-19: Pilar updates us on how the HHHH Sanctuary is faring during the pandemic (hint: thanks to AKI donors, they are managing).
Uganda's Bam Animal Clinics-Helping Donkeys During Difficult Times: Our newest Partner Organization (as of January 2020) tells us about their work to improve the lives of working donkeys in eastern Uganda by training donkey owners to make and use sisal saddles and by holding community veterinary clinics. Thanks to an AKI covid-19 relief disbursement, Bam purchased a motorbike so they can reach remote villages, especially those affected by the double plague of locusts and the pandemic. Bam would love to be able to buy a 2nd motorbike to more quickly reach remote areas in need of their services. And we'd love to be able to make that wish come true for Bam (We're thinking this would make a perfect Christmas gift).
Have a Heart-Namibia helps 4 kitties thank to the AKI-HAH Emergency Fund: Geesche administers the AKI-HAH Emergency Fund, sifting through requests and costs, and always thinking about the potential to provide much-needed help for desperate animals. This request was an easy one to say yes to: A kind person found 4 very skinny cats, 2 of them badly injured. He approached HAH-Namibia for help and our Emergency Fund came to their rescue! (photo below)
About Animal-Kind International
Interestingly, just last week, 2 people told me that they thought that when I travel and meet with animal welfare organizations that the costs are covered by AKI. After the 2nd person mentioned that, I knew I had to set the record straight. No! My travel is not covered by AKI, it is an incidental benefit of my [other] work travel. We do not use your donations to cover any overhead costs. Yes! We send 100% of your donations to our Partner Organizations and now, we also use your donations for our Africa-Based Animal Welfare Organization Grant Program. Our overhead costs-which are minimal-are covered by the AKI Board, none of whom receives a salary from AKI. Once in a while, we'll get a donation from a donor who wants to see AKI grow as an organization and tells us to use their donation for overhead. I hope that sets the record straight!
Kindness to Animals has no Boundaries
We hope those of you who received a handmade-by-Stacey mask are wearing it in health. Stacey sewed and sent 51 masks to AKI supporters! We raised far more than $1275 thanks to Stacey's fundraiser (many people donated more than the $25/mask; Stacey sewed and mailed the masks entirely at her cost.)
Stay healthy and safe, and we look forward to better times to come for all of us, 2-legged and 4-legged. Thank you so much for standing by us during these past months; your support (financial and emotional), your kind words help us get through this one day at a time. We are grateful to you.
AKI donors support our 10 Partner Organizations in Uganda (2 partners), Tanzania, South Sudan, Namibia, Liberia, Ghana, Armenia, Jamaica, and Honduras; and AKI's Grant Program for Africa-Based Animal Welfare Organizations 2020 Grant Recipients.
With Gratitude,
Karen Menczer, Founder & Director
& the AKI Board