Supporting the donkeys of Blouberg to support and sustain the community
Good Morning Angles will assist the Blouberg Donkey Care Workers Initiative with a donation of R70,000 toward their spaza shop and invaluable work in the community.
The Blouberg District is an area in rural Limpopo. The nearest "big" town is Bochum, some 100 kilometres northwest of Polokwane.
In the ten villages in this area, members of the Bahanawa tribe live a simple life, with donkeys their main means of every day transport of people and goods. Donkeys are a vital part of the community's existence and perform essential tasks without which the community cannot do.
Three years ago, veterinarians Dr Isabel Meyer, Prof Leanne Scott and Dr Quixi Sonntag recognised the need for healthcare services for the working donkeys of the Blouberg community.
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They established a non-profit organisation to train and support community members to provide essential health services for their animals. They trained 20 community members as Donkey Care Workers (DCWs) to help with the health and care needs of the working donkeys in the area and supplement their own income. The DCWs have so far assisted with the care of over 1130 donkeys.
To further the project, they are in dire need of a spaza-shop structure or container that can be used to supply animal health care products as well as basic supplies to the villagers. That’s why a colleague of dr Isabel wrote to Good Morning Angels for assistance.
For more on the project visit: www.bloubergdonkeys.co.za
REQUEST FOR: The Blouberg Donkey Care Workers represented by Dr Isabel Meyer
REQUEST FROM: Anieke van der Walt
ANGEL: The Good Morning Angels Fund NPC
SPONSORING: The Good Morning Angels Fund will assist the Blouberg Donkey Care Workers Initiative with a donation of R70,000 toward their spaza shop and invaluable work in the community.
ORIGINAL REQUEST:
Dear Good Morning Angles,
Let me tell you about an extraordinary person who, during the week, is busy finding solutions to improve our country's transportation and logistics network to help save our economy and, after-hours, is organising critical healthcare for overlooked animals while uplifting a struggling rural community.
This person is my team leader (boss), Dr Isabel Meyer. Isabel is leading the Smart Logistics Management initiative at one of Africa's leading research institutions. This initiative is focused on building capabilities to improve our country's logistics performance. She is exceptionally well educated and qualified as she has obtained her Bachelor in Applied Mathematics, Masters in Industrial Systems, PhD in Information Systems, as well as her MBA. These qualifications are impressive on their own, HOWEVER, she is also a qualified veterinarian (yes, it is an extremely weird combination of degrees to have). Now, while most people take leave to go on holiday or simply to get away from work, Isabel uses her leave (and veterinary degree knowledge) to help those less privileged, such as the donkeys and citizens within the Bahananoa/ Blouberg community in Limpopo. Donkeys in this community are crucial for completing everyday activities.
Isabel, together with Prof Leanne Scott (who is also exceptional), has established a not-for-profit organisation called VillageHealth. One of VillageHealth's projects included personally training community members to become donkey care workers (DKW) who can provide primary animal health care in 10 villages in the Blouberg community. Prior to the project, donkey owners had no access to veterinary care and were dependent on their own devices to care for animals in need. This resulted, at best, in animals living with minor conditions or, at worst, animals being left to die when owners had no answers to serious conditions. This project has already made a substantial impact. Since July 2022, the DCWs have conducted 453 household visits to assist owners and share knowledge, providing primary animal health care to 1135 animals that would likely not have received care otherwise. Furthermore, the project also helps to uplift the community as the project included the upskilling and partial employment of community members.
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To further the project, Village Health is in dire need of a spaza-shop structure or container that can be used to supply animal health care products to the communities and to continue offering assistance to the donkeys. They have received some funding through their Back-a-Buddy page that is targeting to raise R20 000 for a container. However, this cost is likely an understatement.
I am always in awe of Good Morning Angels and its army of Angels, and I am hoping that someone out there could help them fulfil this need of acquiring a container and converting it to suit their needs. Please consider helping this unique initiative, it will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you for your consideration. And more importantly, thanks for the amazing work!
Kind regards,
Anieke van der Walt
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Image: AFP