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On 28 January 2015 I am flying out to Gambia for 2 weeks to work alongside the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust staff at their veterinary clinic rural Gambia. Gambia does not have a good history of horsemanship and veterinary training is poorly supported by the Gambian government. 

Keeping horses and donkeys healthy in The Gambia is a real challenge; insect borne diseases such as Sleeping Sickness (Trypanosomiasis), African Horse Sickness, and tick fever are all too common and when these problems are combined with poor nutrition and management caused by lack of knowledge and poverty, the results can be disastrous for the farmers.

A healthy working animal can increase a farming family's income by up to 500% and buying an animal is a big investment for a family. If the animal becomes sick or dies not only the animal suffers, but its owners suffer too. The Gambia is one of the poorest countries in Africa and is unable to provide all the veterinary support that the farmers require, so when the animals become ill, sometimes the owners are simply unable to find help for it.

The GH&DT believe in providing the Gambian people with the skills and knowledge to prevent and solve their own problems, creating a long term, sustainable solution.

As a vet I am volunteering my time and professional skills to this charity for 2 weeks. I will not only be treating animals at their clinic and at rural villages and markets via the GH&DT mobile veterinary clinics; but I also be spending 2-3 days training for the local vets and para-vets to help them provide the best care they can for these animals. 

The GH&DT invest a huge amount of time into educating the younger generations about how to care for their animals and how important this is to them - and by doing so, they hope to change the future for working equines in Gambia. 

A little contribution goes a very long way in Africa, and 100% of your donations will go directly to help the animals in Gambia. For more information about the charity and their work have a look at their website: http://www.gambiahorseanddonkey.org.uk/index.htm

Over the next few months I will be undertaking a series of personal challenges to raise money for this charity. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.