By Anahi Hidalgo | CCF Staff
Today, I’m thrilled to share that the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) has reached a major milestone: 10,000 dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies through our mobile outreach program in the Eastern Communal Conservancies from the Greater Waterberg Landscape.
When CCF launched this initiative in 2019, the goal was to bring life-saving rabies vaccinations to underserved communities. Where veterinary services are scarce and the risk of rabies transmission between domestic animals, humans, and wildlife is high. I first joined the program in 2022, helping lead the planning and coordination of that season and laying the foundation for the 2023 campaign. After some time away, I’m now back in 2025 to once again support this incredible team and the ongoing mission. Each year, our team heads out into the field. Where they camp on communal lands, navigate remote areas, and work closely with conservancy leaders to reach even the most isolated homes. What began as a small, determined effort has grown into a recognized One Health program. This year alone, we saw a notable increase in participation, with more families asking for their animals to be vaccinated. It’s a powerful sign that our awareness efforts are working and that trust in the program is growing.
Every animal we vaccinate not only gains protection, but also contributes to the larger goal of stopping rabies transmission, including to endangered species like cheetahs and African wild dogs. Our work directly supports Namibia’s national rabies strategy and the global “Zero by 30” initiative, which aims to eliminate human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. Foundation for Human Rabies Education & Eradication
Reaching 10,000 vaccinations reflects the hard work of many: our dedicated mobile veterinary team, the field staff who camp out for days at a time, the conservancy leaders who help coordinate logistics, and the generous donors who make this work possible. In particular the Foundation for Human Rabies Education and Eradication (FHREE) and the Community Conservation Fund Namibia.
I’m also proud to share that our first paper on CCF’s rabies campaigns has just been accepted for publication with the Namibian Scientific Society, helping amplify the impact of this program to a wider audience. And we are currently working on other scientific publications that came out of a Master’s thesis from a student from the University of Bristol, who came to CCF in 2024 to work with us to assess the impact of our rabies program, further documenting our efforts and outcomes.
From CCF’s early vaccination efforts, to organized rabies vaccination campaigns, to awareness campaigns for World Rabies Day, to this momentous milestone. We’ve come a long way. And we’re not stopping here!
A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who has been part of this journey: veterinarians, veterinary technicians, interns, volunteers, community officers, translators, state veterinarians, and more. Together, we are making a difference, one vaccination at a time!
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