Africa

Community projects around the world are showing us that it is vital to involve local people when it comes to improving donkey welfare in the long-term.

2,500 malnourished donkeys in Tanzania urgently need your help. Despite signs of the rains returning soon, the donkeys do not have enough food as plants are not growing.

The Donkey Sanctuary, which is leading the efforts to draw worldwide attention to the trade in donkey skins for the use in traditional Chinese remedies, is in Ghana with Ghana SPCA to urge law enforcement bodies to immediately enforce the ban on the slaughter and export of donkey skins that was passed at the beginning of the year.

International Harness Consultant Chris Garrett discusses cart-making projects in Africa and why training people in their own countries is so vitally important.

New research released this week by The Donkey Sanctuary reveals that the trade in donkey skins for use in traditional Chinese remedies is placing Namibia’s working donkey populations at risk.

Uganda has become the latest country to protect its working donkey population by banning the trade in donkey skins in a strongly-worded statement. The move has been applauded by The Donkey Sanctuary which has been leading efforts to halt the trade.

Donkeys are the backbone of the economy in Lamu Town. Without motorised vehicles, pack donkeys are relied upon to move goods, suitcases, building materials and people around the timelessly beautiful town.

Alex Mayers from The Donkey Sanctuary, visits a market in Tanzania where hundreds of donkeys wait to be slaughtered for their skins.

Opposition to the donkey skin trade is escalating by the day in Africa, with street protests from donkey owners in Kenya and the Government of Botswana banning the export of donkey products.

Donkeys like Bukke provide a buffer against extreme poverty and a lifeline during times of hardship and provide transport to emergency supply points.