Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Has Vetaid gone out of business?

I worked for the charity Vetaid in the late 90's as a fundraiser in a joint post with the Moredun Foundation. Vetaid worked with subsistence farmers, mainly in Africa, to improve food security tbrough animal health. I have always retained a good deal of affection for the organisation and kept in touch with one of my former colleagues. She was made redundant earlier in the year and according to another ex-colleague I met at a party over Christmas the whole organisation is being wound up. I have had a look around the internet for any official announcement, but can't find anything.

The Vetaid website is dead, but their Facebook page is still going (although not updated since 2008).

Its all very sad.


UPDATE 15th January 2012
A visitor to this page has alerted me to an article on the Royal Veterinary College web site indicating that VETAID's Kenyan and Tanzanian projects are continuing under the VETAID name, but as a seperate locally run charity.

Vetaid was a UK based charity established in 1986 that offered a way for the UK vet profession to support overseas development work. Vetaid ceased operations in 2010. In its place, it was agreed to allow a local NGO to continue working in East Africa using the same "Vetaid" name.
Vetaid Kenya was then established as a small Kenyan registered charity that has taken over projects originally developed by Vetaid UK. It works with a small and effective team of local vets and community animal health workers. Its size and local roots means that it is extremely flexible and able to respond to emergencies rapidly and effectively. It has acquired a strong reputation in East Africa amongst the government veterinary services, international agencies such as the FAO and donors such as GALVMED.
It seems that Nick Short is still involved. The original article can be found here:
http://www.rvc.ac.uk/Global/KenyaDroughtAppeal/VetaidKenya.cfm