Climate change in the face of war: Ukraine’s complex crisis
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Your Support Means Everything
Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord couldn't do the work we do without your support. Whether it's a financial donation or a donation of your time, by improving the health of animals you will be working to improve the health and quality of life for people throughout the world.
What We're Working On
Across Southeast Asia, the health of animals, local communities, and the environment are closely linked. By working with on-the-ground partners in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, we are helping to emphasize the importance of a One Health approach, recognizing the interconnection of human, animal, and environmental health.Just as we do in Sub-Saharan Africa, VWB/VSF is dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced in Southeast Asia. Our extensive Volunteers Engaged in Gender-Responsive Technical Solutions (VETS) program generously funded by Global Affairs Canada deploys Canadian volunteers to countries like Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The primary goal of the VETS program is to uplift the economic and social well-being of marginalized individuals, with a specific focus on empowering women and girls in these Southeast Asian nations.
In Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, VWB's local teams are committed to implementing interventions that strengthen agricultural resilience, reduce vulnerabilities, and enhance the capacity of local communities to cope with challenges at the national level. Our efforts in this region focus on promoting sustainable and climate-smart agricultural practices, aligning with our commitment to addressing the impacts of climate change.
Our Community One Health Empowerment program in Southeast Asia is a testament to our dedication to working in close partnership with local organizations. Together, we strive to improve health outcomes in rural communities, with a specific emphasis on marginalized women and girls in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. This initiative integrates public health, veterinary care, and environmental policies under a single, inclusive umbrella, promoting the well-being of humans, animals, and ecosystems throughout the region.
Veterinarians Without Borders is committed to making a positive impact on the well-being of animals, communities, and the environment in Southeast Asia, specifically in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Our dedication to the One Health approach, sustainable agricultural practices, and empowering marginalized individuals aligns with our mission to create a healthier and more prosperous future for the region.
Current Projects in Asia
VETS Program in Cambodia
PROGRAM DETAILS
PROJECT DATES: 2020 - 2027
FUNDING PARTNERS:
Global Affairs Canada
OVERVIEW:
In Cambodia, farming and agriculture is the largest source of employment, yet agricultural production is impacted due to climate variability (e.g., flooding and drought), and smallholder livestock farming is often affected by infectious disease.
VWB/VSF is working through a One Health model at a local level with community leaders and animal health workers to promote agricultural best practices and their positive impacts on the environment. The VETS program is also helping to train individuals on animal waste and fodder management for chicken, cattle, and small ruminants.
In-country Partners:
Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Cambodia
VETS Program in Laos
PROGRAM DETAILS
PROJECT DATES: 2020 - 2027
FUNDING PARTNERS:
Global Affairs Canada
OVERVIEW:
In Laos, malnutrition is a major issue for both animals and people, with stunting due to malnutrition affecting 33% of children under 5 years of age (UNICEF, 2020). VWB/VSF works in Laos with two local partners, both of which focus on nutrition, empowering women, food security, and disease management.
Work in Laos is conducted through our partnership with CARE Laos and their Women’s Income and Nutrition Groups (WINGs). WINGs support ethnic women living in remote areas in improving their knowledge of nutrition, with the goal of increasing their income and health.
WINGs provides access to funds, resources and training to community members. For example, through a focus on ‘cash crops,’ there have been improvements in income generation in both Sekong and Phongsaly provinces. In Sekong, increased income generation has been linked to coffee production, which VWB/VSF supported through long-term volunteers.
In-country Partners:
CARE Laos, WINGS
VETS Program in Vietnam
PROGRAM DETAILS
PROJECT DATES: 2020 - 2027
FUNDING PARTNERS:
Global Affairs Canada
OVERVIEW:
In Vietnam, the VETS project focuses on working with our partner, IEHSD, to build their capacity to improve gender-responsive sustainable development. Based on their identified needs volunteers are recruited to work directly with staff and community members to improve their understanding of One Health and how it can be integrated into smallholder farming practices.
Working with the Thai Nguyen University volunteers are developing curriculums to train students in animal, human and environmental health programs to set up demonstration sites within target communities. The project also focuses on improving community leave risk communication practices and improved access to animal health services.
In-country Partners:
IEHSD
AGROW in Cambodia
PROGRAM DETAILS
PROJECT DATES: 2020 - 2027
FUNDING PARTNERS:
Global Affairs Canada
OVERVIEW:
AGROW is a collaborative initiative between Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amerique du Nord (VWB/VSF) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC), based in Cambodia. Our goal is to empower women and girls, strengthen community resilience, and promote sustainable farming practices through the transformative power of One Health. Through AGROW, and working with local partners, we hope to build a world where women play a pivotal role in shaping the future of agriculture and environmental sustainability. We aim to equip farmers, with a particular focus on women, with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive in a changing world.
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Agriculture-Based Growth and Resilience Opportunities for Women (AGROW)
Our work in Cambodia focuses on climate-smart farming and agricultural best practices as well as supporting related income-generating work for women in rural communities.Read more » -
Cambodia
Our work in Cambodia focuses on climate-smart farming and agricultural best practices as well as supporting related income-generating work for women in rural communities.Read more » -
Laos
Veterinarians Without Borders works in Laos with local partners with a focus on nutrition, empowering women, food security, and disease management.Read more » -
Vietnam
Our work in Vietnam focuses on remote rural areas where unproductive land and childhood malnutrition have a damaging impact on community health.Read more »
