Support the work of an Animal Welfare Organization

The project

The Meru Animal Welfare Organization (MAWO) works in the Meru region of Tanzania to protect animals from cruelty by promoting, improving, and developing matters concerning the welfare and understanding of animals in Tanzania. They are fighting for a different perception of animals within their culture and society and the five freedoms of animals:

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst, 2. Freedom from discomfort, 3. Freedom from pain, injury and disease, 4. Freedom from fear and distress, 5. Freedom to express normal behaviour

Their mission is to protect all animals from torture, abuse, cruelty, diseases, and killing. Their vision is for animals to be respected as living creatures who experience pain, fear, and suffering. Their aim is to promote, improve and develop of any matter concerning the protection of animals and understanding of animals among the people of Meru District, Tanzania.

In 2009, MAWO Founder and President, Johnson Lyimo and other community leaders were brought together to discuss their shared concern for the horrific animal treatment they were seeing in their communities. By 2010 they had completed a baseline survey to study the greatest needs for animal welfare in the Meru region. MAWO was created to address these problems so as to better the lives of both animals and humans in this area. Since then, MAWO has played a significant role as a champion for animal welfare throughout the Meru District and Tanzania. “Animal welfare” to them means: the concern for the well-being of an animal’s physical and mental state and involves the mitigation of avoidable suffering, injury, pain, fear, or distress resulting from unnatural behaviour while used for work, sport, companionship, research or food. The ethical basis for MAWO’s policies stems from looking beyond the conservation of species to the welfare of individual animals.

Your work

You are ask to advice the MAWO Team on how to improve the day to day activities of animal welfare for good performance of the organization. You will help to design different programs for animal welfare. You will seek internal and external donors and apply for grants. You will write and giving reports to the donors on the progress of MAWO. You will design fundraising activities and put into practice. You will designing and writing MAWO newsletters, brochures etc. You will perform field activities i.e. Dog & Donkey Clinics, you will find and invite new members (internal and external) to join MAWO from different areas i.e. Tour operation organizations, hotels, big farm operations etc. and finally you will provide education in schools i.e. primary and secondary, communities and also conduct clubs.

Previous knowledge

If you have a background in any of the required fields like animal care, marketing, fundraising, etc. very good! But even if not, you are welcome to support MAWO. Important is to be compassionate, dedicated and enthusiastic.

Important

You can support MAWO even if you can only stay for two weeks but since you will have responsibilities and maybe conduct your own projects and activities, you should consider to stay longer. The best effect for you and MAWO will be guaranteed when you stay for three to six month.

Your typical day depends on if you have an office day or if you are on an outreach.
Your working hours will be discussed individually, based on your interest, skills and the demand of the organization.
If you have an office day you start in the morning and work as discussed with your supervisor in the field of fundraising and marketing.
If on an outreach you work can differ from day to day. Sometimes the outreaches are just one day, sometimes you will be sleeping somewhere in a village. At dog and donkey clinics you will teach local people about animal welfare, go to school and educate children and communities.