My Daughter Making A Difference!

Liz is spending two months on a charity placement, sponsored by Vodafone. Here is her first report…

A few words from me...I'm so excited to be taking part in World of Difference, and to have a chance to find out more about the charity I'm working with, The Brooke. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in!

 

Horses and donkeys and mules, oh my!

Looking back at the end of my first week of the World of Difference programme, it’s been both exciting and exhausting. A little over a week ago, I was clearing my desk in preparation for the two months I’d be spending away from my regular job, and now I’m getting stuck into my project. For the next two months I’ll be working with The Brooke, supporting their communications team as they work to raise awareness of the work they do to help horses, donkeys and mules in some of the poorest parts of the world.

A bit about The Brooke

The Brooke are an international animal welfare organisation dedicated to improving the lives of working horses and donkeys in the developing world, delivering veterinary treatment and community animal health programmes in 11 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Many animals in the developing world endure poor health, pain, exhaustion, and malnutrition, resulting in suffering for millions of working horses, donkeys and mules and insecure livelihoods for the millions of people living in poverty who rely on them to earn a basic living.

The Brooke works with communities to show them how to care for their horses and donkeys, making sure they have the medical care they need and have access to rest, shade and water. Working animals can be happy and healthy if they have the care and respect they deserve.

The majority of working horses and donkeys are owned by people who need them to support their families. These animals are vital to alleviate poverty, and help people become independent. This year, they aim to reach more than 800,000 animals, which will benefit more than four million of the world’s poorest people.

What I’ll be doing

I wanted to work with The Brooke because I think the work they do really makes a difference – it understands the important role that animals play in helping people and communities. Working animals are often overlooked or considered to be a bit trivial compared to human needs, but in the developing world, they play a vital role. The Brooke works in places that have often experienced extreme poverty and hardship,including helping people who are trying to rebuild their lives after the floods in Pakistan, and their current work feeding animals badly affected by the civil unrest in Egypt.

During my time here I’ll be working to support their press office so they can reach more people and spread the word about what they do. I’ll also be exploring the brave new world of digital media and getting to grips with social networking, which is very exciting! The World of Difference programme is a great way for people like me to really make a contribution to the amazing work done by charities across the world, and I’ll be keeping you updated on everything I’m doing via this blog. You can also follow me on Twitter .

[©Liz Almond- 4th March 2011]