Women-led, One Health Solutions in Tanzania

Now that fall is in full swing, we'd like to thank you again for supporting the Women's Earth Project. The community women of Mboliboli and Itonya continue to provide One Health outreach for their communities and the surrounding areas. But one simple initiative, vaccinating chickens against Newcastle disease, as unglamorous as it sounds, was the key to changing lives.

When the project began, the women intentionally took on the challenge of improving chicken health as one of these decisions. They new the end result would produce a cascade of positive impacts. Scavenging chickens have a low carbon footprint, high nutritional value, and the potential to improve household income. However, Newcastle disease remains the primary driver behind chicken deaths and poor production. Each year, chicken flocks are decimated by this deadly disease, and most vaccines to prevent Newcastle disease require refrigeration, making transport of the vaccine to remote areas nearly impossible. Fortunately, a vaccine was created that does not require refrigeration and can be administered by eye drop.

Working alongside local Tanzanian veterinarians, we trained a small group of Southern Highland women to administer the vaccine as community vaccinators. This small initiative has been life-changing. Flocks are growing again. Household nutrition has improved, and the women have more financial security. Now in the fourth year of the chicken vaccination program, the women have been able to pool surplus income and pay for school supplies for all the children of the women who attend primary and secondary school.

Your steadfast support has made this change possible. On behalf of everyone at FOECOE and EcoVet Global, and the women of the Southern Highlands, thank you for being part of this story with us.