SPANA is committed to treating as many working animals as possible, but currently we can only reach a fraction of those needing help in Mali. There is a desperate need for a permanent centre in Ségou so we can ease the suffering of more working animals.
Once a month, our mobile clinic vets travel 150 miles from Bamako, the capital, to treat these poor working animals. After stopping at the bustling market in Ségou, they spend a few days winding their way across the dusty terrain to treat working animals in nearby remote villages. Sadly, thousands of hardworking animals in Ségou never receive veterinary treatment when they are suffering.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
With your kind donation, we will build a permanent veterinary centre in Ségou, which will transform and save the lives of approximately 60,000 animals per year in Mali. If they are very sick, working animals can stay in one of the 12 stables we’re planning to build at the centre so they can heal.
Will you help create a better future for working animals in Ségou, Mali, by donating today so we can build a new permanent veterinary centre?
Amou’s story
Amou the donkey transports goods for her community in the village of Cherno, Mali. One day, when she was pulling her heavy cart along the bumpy roads, her owner, Brema, noticed Amou was struggling to put weight on her leg. As she limped on, pulling the cart was becoming unbearable for her.
A few weeks earlier, Brema had noticed a small lump on Amou’s leg. The lump grew quickly, and the mass was swollen and bleeding. Brema was concerned because he knew what the lump was likely to be.
A year earlier, Brema spotted another large lump on Amou’s body that made moving very difficult. The lump was a fast growing skin tumour, called a sarcoid, which Brema feared had returned. This time the position of the new lump made walking agonising.
Amou needed urgent veterinary treatment to remove the sarcoid and alleviate her suffering.
Our mobile clinic vets had successfully removed the last sarcoid from the poor donkey. Now Brema had to wait for the vets to return as this was the only chance to get Amou help.
Fortunately, Brema heard the mobile clinic was coming to the area. When Amou staggered up, our vets immediately examined the tumour.
They knew she needed surgery, but didn’t have anywhere to carry out the operation, so they took Amou to a makeshift theatre at a nearby secondary school. There, thankfully, the vets successfully removed the sarcoid after challenging surgery.
They showed Brema how to change Amou’s bandages and keep the area clean to prevent infection. This was crucial, as without a nearby centre to provide ongoing care for Amou, her recovery was in the hands of her owner.
Thankfully, after Brema followed the careful advice of our vets, the area began to heal. After a few weeks, Amou started to return to her old self.
Amou was lucky. Sadly, there are thousands more working animals like her in Ségou who need urgent and attentive veterinary treatment right now. Most will not see a vet when they are suffering.
But a new veterinary centre will change their lives. A gift from you today could not only help build the new centre, but also provide treatment that will transform the lives of thousands of working animals for many years to come.
Please, if you can, donate now so we can build a new veterinary centre in Ségou, Mali, and create a better future for working animals.
To speak to our friendly supporter care team please visit our contact us page and get in touch.