First, a reminder to all monthly donors to watch for your annual email message which will arrive (hopefully in your inbox) no later than December 7. If you don't receive it, please get in touch; if you do receive it, get in touch too!
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I think every non-profit that relies mainly on donations from individuals is wondering: to ask or forego the ask this year? I've certainly been wondering how to approach this giving season, starting with Giving Tuesday on December 1. I decided to let our supporters and supported organizations (Partners and Grantees) speak for us to help you make an informed decision.
Above: A beneficiary of Have a Heart-Namibia's Lifelong Care Program-AKI supporters provide the funds for lifetime booster shots and anti-parasite treatment for HAH spay/neuter clients.
Geesche (with HaH-Namibia and credited with the photograph above) manages the AKI-HAH Emergency Fund, which because of the economic hardship related to the pandemic, was depleted. We were able to replenish it a bit in November, and Geesche wrote to say thank you: "I'm thankful for AKI every single day, there is no way I can ever say how much you mean to me and HaH, without your support we wouldn't be where we are today, that is for sure! And lots of animals would be dead or suffer without you! And I might have given up on HaH....."
This AKI Blog post is about the cats and dogs who recently benefited from the AKI-HAH Emergency Fund and from our support to the lifelong care program. I think you'll be happily surprised to see how cost-effective our emergency support in Namibia is (for example, squamous cell carcinoma surgery on a cat's ear; cost US$35!).
More on November's AKI Blog: from our Partner Organizations
Bam Animal Clinics-Uganda, helping donkeys in Kween & Bukwo, August-October 2020: AKI donors support Bam's humane saddle making and donkey veterinary care clinics. David Balondemu, Director of Bam Animal Clinics, sends his thanks to our supporters: "Thanks for the support for this year, we are extremely happy to have AKI as a partner in our work for donkeys in Eastern Uganda. I am confident that together we will see more success for Bam and AKI."
Helping Hands for Hounds of Honduras: running an animal shelter in a pandemic and a hurricane: Check out the pictures of the flooding from Hurricane Eta (we published this before Hurricane Iota struck) and the people saving their pets!
Two of November's AKI Blog posts are about our 2020 Africa-Based Animal Welfare Organization Grant Recipients (AKI Partner Organizations receive ongoing funding, which they can use for their priority needs, as long as they fulfill our requirements; AKI Grant Recipients receive one-time funding for specific projects.)
Animal Protection Foundation-Egypt takes on the impossible-successfully-with an AKI grant: APF built a 31-room isolation area with the grant from AKI while at the same time they moved more than 1000 dogs to a new shelter location. Hanan, Co-founder and Treasurer of APF, sent this note: "Thank you Karen very much for your help and for the support of AKI in the finishing of the isolation area, which is the most important part of our shelter. Now all the rooms are busy, 31 rooms have more than 31 dogs needing help, including a section for TNR, vs only 13 rooms at the old shelter."
The Celebrities of Save Animals-Democratic Republic of Congo: With the AKI grant, SA-DRC is creating 5 episodes of Save Animals Universe for broadcast on local TV in the DRC (and for viewing on YouTube-the links to 2 of the episodes are in this AKI Blog post). (The picture below is from a Save Animals-DRC Animal Ambassador awareness raising event (Cats and dogs are pets, not food), which are filmed as part of the Save Animals Universe TV series.) Save Animals Universe is introducing the joy of pets to a Congolese audience.
Animal-Kind International: Accountability & Effectiveness
To read more about what our supporters, volunteers, and AKI supported organizations say about us, check our reviews on Great NonProfits.
Our Partner Organizations have shared their thoughts about AKI's support on the About AKI page.
Over the years, so many people have told me they appreciate how transparent we are about how we use donor funds. Our pie charts seem to top everyone's list of favorites when it comes to understanding how funds are used. Partners Mbwa wa Africa-Tanzania and Bam Animal Clinics-Uganda have completed their AKI accounting for 2020 and their pie charts are available showing what your 2020 donations were used for (MwA's below and Bam's at the link above).
Giving Tuesday & Onward
If you're convinced that AKI, our Partners and Grant Recipients, are worthy of your donations, we are eternally grateful.
On Giving Tuesday, we have an opportunity to get matching funds for 2 of our fundraisers on the GlobalGiving website:
Support for Uganda SPCA to purchase land to build a larger animal shelter, owned by the USPCA, so they will not be at risk of being evicted due to new residential developments that have sprouted up around the shelter.
Support for Have A Heart Mobile Clinic to cover the AKI-HAH Emergency Fund and HAH-Namibia's Lifelong Care Program.
Of course, you can always donate directly on the AKI website, where you can designate an AKI Partner to receive your donation or leave it up to us to designate it where the needs are greatest.
Final Words.........
We send our condolences to our Partner in Armenia, Save the Animals-Armenia, and hope they, their friends, family, SA-Armenia shelter dogs, and all Armenia's animals remain out of harm's way during this horrific war.
It looks like our efforts to organize and support the 1st ever Spay/Neuter Campaign in South Sudan will get back on track (after it was derailed by the pandemic) with our team re-convening in Juba in early 2021. We'll of course keep you updated.
As always, we are grateful to our kind and generous supporters, not only for your monetary donations, but because you are always there for us with encouraging words, keeping us motivated and moving forward.....because as we all know, we're in it for the animals and there's no giving up!
100% of your donations go to AKI-supported organizations. AKI donors support our Partner Organizations in 9 countries: Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Namibia, 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