Rabies Kills: Education Saves Lives
Educators at work at Kijenge Primary School
In a country where canine rabies still kills 1,500 people every year - mostly children under 15 - learning how to behave safely around dogs can mean the difference between life and death.
Local schools liaison is a vital part of our anti-rabies work in Tanzania: by teaching school children to understand canine behaviour and recognise danger signs, our local Education Officers can equip them with knowledge and insights that may one day save their lives.
Education officer Carisa explains;
“l didn’t know how bad it was until I received different [rabies] cases from different schools. [Our education programme] seems to be working as we have seen how children start to treat animals better than before, and are willing to learn more and more.”
“Through love, integrity, trust and accountability we can all fight this disease.” Carisa, Education Officer
Children at the Uhuru Primary School learn about the rabies risk
To coincide with World Rabies Day 2021, our team in Tanzania launched a two week anti-rabies campaign in an area of high population density in Arusha City. Thanks to funding from the Good Gifts Catalogue, Global Animal Health Tanzania and the Foundation for Veterinary Aid International (FAVI), our volunteer vet team worked around the clock to stop rabies in its tracks by vaccinating and sterilising the local dog population, going from door to door to ensure the widest possible campaign coverage.
Meanwhile, our Education Officers worked hard to help ensure that local communities have the knowledge to protect themselves and their families from risk, now and in the future.
Levolosi Primary School, Arusha Region
Alpha J. Kaaya, Education Officer, explains what motivated him to join the team:
“I am interested in working with this organization as it saves a lot of lives of people in our community. The education I have acquired from this organization has helped me and my society at large.”
By teaching children to identify a potentially rabid animal, our officers are laying the foundations for a healthier relationship between dogs and people in the future, opening children’s eyes to the possibility that not every dog is a threat and that, if treated responsibly, a dog may even become a friend.
One campaign. Two weeks. 15 schools. 21,000 children
Children listen attentively to our rabies educators at the Lady of Mercy Primary School
In just two weeks during September 2021, our Education Officer team visited 15 primary schools in Arusha City, Tanzania where they spread the rabies campaign message. Speaking in front of up to 7,000 primary age children at a time, they shared life-saving insights into canine behaviour as well as explaining the importance of controlling local dog populations humanely.
Feedback from Kaloneni Primary School shows how our educators’ lessons came vividly to life for the teaching staff:
“Thanks for this lesson and for the service that you’re doing to our community and children. This morning one of our students was bitten by a dog, but through your education we helped him. Please come again and thanks”.
As children carry the anti-rabies message home to their parents and wider communities, our educators hope to help discourage the amateur dog culls that cause so much animal suffering and do little to stop rabies, explaining that these culls often even encourage infected dog populations to migrate into the gap left after the cull.
Meru Primary School
Education Officer Maria j. Kaaya has been part of our team for three years. She said,
“We have spread so much awareness about animal welfare, something that in Africa is still a problem. You’re warmly welcome here.”
Together we will wipe out rabies from Tanzania. One community at a time.
“Thanks so much … for visiting our school and educating our children about rabies awareness please welcome again” – Bright Future Academy, 22 September 2021
Mbwa Wa Africa Animal Rescue team use school grounds as makeshift post-operative recovery spaces during the anti-rabies campaign.
With special thanks to all those who funded, supported or participated in the World Rabies Day anti-rabies campaign.
Good Gifts Catalogue | FAVI | Global Animal Health Tanzania | Worldwide Veterinary Service | Mission Rabies | Vets Now, Glasgow | Veterinary Instrumentation | vPOP Pro | N2UK Ltd