Your donations to AKI support LAWCS's Humane Education Program and Community Engagement/Basic Animal Care Clinics. Abraham Fofana is responsible for the Community Engagement Program. He visits LAWCS's three focus districts (Voinjama, Kolahun, and Foya) where he holds animal welfare education meetings, provides free basic animal care, and demonstrates good dog and cat feeding practices. From January to June, Abraham provided animal welfare education in 20 towns in Voinjama District, 15 towns in Kolahun District, and 15 towns in Foya District, where a total of 3,512 adults learned about animal care and protection. Abraham de-wormed and provided basic care for 325 dogs, 78 cats, 215 pigs, 103 goats, and 98 sheep. From July to December, Abraham aims to visit another 50 towns in LAWCS focus districts.
Animals in communities where LAWCS works always seem healthier, more fit, and confident than in communities where LAWCS has not yet reached.
As part of LAWCS's Humane Education Program, Alex Kamara and Joseph T. Yawoe are assigned to Kolahun District, where LAWCS works with 12 schools, reaching over 3,000 children. LAWCS has established Animal Kindness Clubs (after-school clubs with about 25 of the most enthusiastic Humane Ed students) at each of the 12 schools. Joseph works with the clubs and Alex conducts classroom-based Humane Ed lessons in the 12 schools.
Alex visits 2 schools per day from Monday to Friday, conducting animal welfare lessons with each class in the school.
With Joseph's support, Animal Kindness Clubs undertake programs such as community education, school to school education, dog grooming, and visits to animal owners to educate them about improved animal care.
This Animal Kindness Club in Foya District uses stuffed animals in plays where they educate other students and community members about animals.
When schools are closed for holidays, Joseph and Alex visit communities where they meet with school children and their parents to improve their knowledge and care of pets.
Since LAWCS is unable to visit all the communities and schools in each district, they hold a weekly radio education program in Foya to educate listeners about the welfare of animals.
The chart below shows details of how LAWCS uses your donations to AKI:
In August I [Karen] visited LAWCS for the 6th time in 6 years. Thanks to AKI donor Tina, my luggage was full of cute stuffed animals for LAWCS for their Humane Education Program. The school kids love these little cuddly animals.
During my visit to Lofa County (Voinjama, Kolahun, and Foya districts), I saw for myself how the cats and dogs in LAWCS's focus communities seem so much healthier and happier than dogs and cats in other parts of Liberia. In towns where LAWCS works, dogs and cats seem to be considered part of the family. You see cats and dogs hanging out and confidently walking around with their human family members. You see them sleeping without a care in the world.
Sadly, the capital, Monrovia, is still not an easy place for free-roaming cats and dogs. They're often chased away, sometimes people throw stones to scare them away, and they compete with hungry people for food scraps.
Also, dogs and other animals are sold on a street corner in downtown Monrovia. The location just happened to be about 2 blocks from where my office in Monrovia is. So I visited the animal sellers each day and talked to them about taking better care of the animals that they rely on for their livelihoods. In Liberia, there's no law against animal cruelty, let alone selling live animals on street corners. Plus, people are very poor and have few options to earn money. So for now, the best we can do is help the animal sellers understand how to take better care of their animals. Although this needs a more sustained effort than I was able to give it, the sellers really do seem interested in learning about animal care.
During one of my visits with the dog sellers, this nice woman with her granddaughter stopped to see the puppies that were being sold on the street. She told me she often drops by to give them some food and pats.
LAWCS needs your donations to expand their outreach, education, and basic animal care. They're having a great positive impact in all the communities where they work....but their reach is still small. Yet they have huge potential-the only thing missing is funding. Thank you for your help! Every donation makes a difference in the lives of animals.