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VV.I.V.I.V.A. NEWS.A. NEWSVolunteers in Irish Veterinary Assistance

13 Abbeycartron, Longford • Tel: (043) 47869, 47849 • Fax: (043) 47849 • Mobile: (086) 8509697 • Email: vivaaid@eircom.net • Website: www.vivaaid.ie

Bringing New Life to people and their animals DECEMBER 2003

MESSAGE FROM THEDIRECTORSThere is something really satisfying aboutgetting to the end of year two, writing ourthird newsletter and being able to lookback on the tremendous progress VIVA hasmade since its initiation. Since I last wrotewe have made excellent advances in ourfive existing development projects andagreed to take on two new ones, whichwill be formally launched in 2004.Membership has grown for the third yearrunning and VIVA is gaining local as well asinternational recognition for its veterinarywork in the developing world.

In March of this year I was in Serbia,monitoring progress on the funding we areproviding to train local veterinary helpersand improve productivity amongst small-holders. I was very pleased with theoutcome and you can read more in thefollowing pages about how we plan todevelop this project.

We also received news from the IndiaSuper Cyclone project we launched lastyear. VIVA has become an integral part ofthe regional aid package by providingtraining in animal healthcare to thoseaffected by the cyclone of 1999. And inMalawi, the latest reports indicate thatfamine has started to show some signs ofabating and the families which receivedthe gift of livestock are doing really well intheir animal healthcare training courses.

As for new departures, it is very clear thatTraining is becoming the cornerstone ofeverything we do and we have beeninvited to participate in several excitingnew projects. The first, in Zambia, sees thebeginning of what I expect to be a muchlonger-term commitment in associationwith Heifer Project International. Thesecond is an extension of the Orissa Indiaproject, in which VIVA will work withtraditional goat-herders in Kashmir, theterritory contested by India and Pakistan.

VIVA’s membership has continued to growover the past year and we’re keen to doeven better in 2004. Please help us tospread the word. Any new ideas forfundraising are always welcome. We’d liketo communicate the effectiveness ofveterinary support to as wide an audienceas possible.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Iwould like to extend our sincere thanks toeveryone who has worked with and for usin the past twelve months. You are makingan enormous difference and I look forwardto receiving your e-mails and calls over thecoming year, so we can continue at thispace.

We would also like to wish you and yourfamilies a very Happy Christmas and bestwishes for 2004.Brendan Mimnagh, Secretary,VIVA and Fr.Michael Maher, Chairman, VIVA

COMING UP IN 2004...

Breaking NewGround in ZambiaZambia is known to many Irish people asthe home to a substantial number of IrishMissionaries , a country torn apart byfamine, aids, flooding and drought overa long period of time. In 2004, however,VIVA will be getting involved in somevery exciting new rural developmentwork across the country which isexpected to affect the lives of thousandsof people in the long term.

Agriculture is a leading sector in theZambian economy employing half thecountry’s labour force. Nearly half theland in Zambia is deemed suitable for theproduction of livestock and crops but todate this potential has never beenrealised, currently only 10-15% is beingused.The Eastern Province in Zambia is wheremost livestock farming is concentratedbut a combination of East Coast Fever,drought, poor drinking water for animalsand a lack of good veterinary serviceshas resulted in substantial underperformance.

VIVA’s involvement next year will consistof training farmers to improve andsustain livestock productivity. This willhappen in conjunction with HeiferProject International. which currentlyhosts projects in four of the nineprovinces of Zambia reachingapproximately 2,000 poor families. Theorganisation’s local team, led by countryDirector Dr Kwacha Chisiza, has workedwith communities both to deliveranimals and raise nutritional andeconomic standards for many years.Our participation will initially be centredaround The Monze, Chongwe and Sindedistricts. VIVA training courses will coverArtificial Insemination, livestock fertilityand general animal healthcare. We hopethat many of those involved will go on tobecome trainers themselves, passing ontheir new skills and knowledge to theircommunities over the course of time.

It’s a really exciting opportunity for VIVAto take part in a project on a nation-widescale. We are really looking forward togetting back the first reports from thisendeavour and are confident that it willmake a great difference to the farmingfamilies involved.

If you are interested in supporting thenew Zambian project please contactVIVA personnel for details.

It may seem like an obvious thingbut not all rural developmentprojects have in the past includeda training element. Whether inagriculture, healthcare orenvironmental development,many organisations have onlyrecently begun to train localpeople and help ensure thelong-term sustainability of theirprojects. For VIVA, training is avital element of everything wedo. Not only does it guaranteebasic standards of livestock care,but it also provides people withthe skills to manage communitiesfor themselves, without outsidehelp.

To date, VIVA has been able tooffer veterinary expertise tovillagers in Malawi Albania,Serbia, Kosovo, India, and Kenya.Training covers all aspects ofanimal health and welfareincluding; disease control,Artificial Insemination andanimal reproduction.

Drawing on the life-long skills ofvarious agricultural andveterinary specialists in Ireland,VIVA is uniquely positioned tooffer the highest level ofspecialised training. Irishinvolvement to date includes A.I.stations, like Dovea in Co.Tipperary, Progressive Genetics inEnfield, Co Meath and bodiessuch as Teagasc, VeterinaryIreland and the Irish Departmentof Agriculture.

Noel Ryan, Dovea AI station trainingAI technicians in Malawi.

Looking after the basic dailyneeds of the animal is ourpriority. VIVA’s target groups arefarmers, local volunteers,veterinarians and communityleaders. Woman play a vital rolein all these training projects,often being the primary carers ofboth family and livestock.

Sean O’Laoide, Veterinary Irelandwith Mrs Tiwonge Mumba and herIrish heifer in Muzuzu, Malawi.

Initial reports from existingprojects indicate that thiscommitment to providing newskills at the initial stages of anyrural development project ensurea more favourable long termbenefit to the community.

Noel Ryan, Sean O’L aoide and JamesGwonde, Lilongwe in classroomsession in Malawi.

(Continued >)

Training becomesVIVA’s cornerstone

Johnny Flynn ,Progressive Geneticstraining A.I technicians in Kosovo.

KashmirAnother H.P.I India projectis based in the frequentflash-point of Kashmir,some 15,000 feet above sealevel between India andPakistan. There, goat-herders have survived forgenerations from theproduction and sale ofwool from their prized(Cashmere) Kashmir goats.The wool is still in veryhigh demandinternationally but farmersare still very poor, lack localveterinary support and arepoorly skilled in basicmethods of modern animalhealthcare. VIVA has beeninvited to help farmersincrease their productivitythrough training andveterinary support. Thiswill start later in 2004 and Ihope to have a full reportin our next newsletter.

Sabi Pradan with her CashmereGoat.

A very good example of howVIVA’s training schemes workis demonstrated in Orissa,India. Farm animals arebeing donated by H.P.I andmany other organisationsworldwide to familiesaffected by the super-cyclone which hit the statein 1999. Beforehand, allH.P.I’s Extension Workers andproject partners are requiredto participate in a courseentitled “Improved AnimalManagement”. Each courseis supervised by VIVA andincorporates technicaltraining by Veterinarydoctors, HPI officials and one

When a country is torn apart by war,farmers suffer. In some cases ruraldevelopment can be set back decades aswas the case with Kosovo. Following theend of the NATO bombing campaign inKosovo in 1999, as the Albanian refugeesreturned to Kosovo, over 200,000 mostlySerbs and Roma, fled to Serbia andMontenegro. Many of these IDP’s(Internally Displaced People) settled in themunicipality of Kurshmlija near theKosovo border. It now seems likely thatmost of these IDP’s will not return toKosovo. The IDP are mostly from smallfarming backgrounds.

Following on from the trainingprogramme VIVA undertook in Albaniaand Kosovo earlier this year, we are nowparticipating in a 3 year programme inrural parts of Serbia and Montenegro. As part of this commitment, VIVA Director,

Brendan Mimnagh, travelled with a teamof experts to the municipality ofKursumlija near the border with Kosovolast March. His study, of an existing animalproject, assessed the problems faced bythe local farming community. It concludedwith practical suggestions of ways inwhich local farmers could improveproductivity.

VIVA found that although there was astrong tradition of livestock farming in thearea, it was small scale and based on verytraditional farming methods. Mostalarmingly, however, was the clear lack oftrained livestock staff or veterinarysupport. It was also found that this vitalskills gap was not currently acknowledgedby the community.

VIVA’s main recommendation was that aProject Coordinator be appointed in the

first instance. He or she needs to have abackground in agriculture but will receivefurther specialised training from VIVA, ifnecessary in Ireland. Their role will extendto cover all aspects of the community’sanimal welfare needs. In this way, assoon as each family in Kursumlija isconsidered properly trained it will receivea donation of a dairy animal throughproject partners Bother and Trocaire.

The goal is to improve the villagers’farming practices and consequently thequality and quantity of their produce.Based on the findings of this study, aninitial commitment of three years has nowbeen agreed now by all parties involved.VIVA’s partners on this project are Bothar,Trocaire, Caritas Belgrade and the SerbianOrthodox Church.

VIVA Community Animal Health Worker Sushant Jena training villagers.

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local resource person. Two people from each villageare also selected to receive amore basic level of trainingas CAHW’s or CommunityAnimal Health Workers.Theseare employed to provide abasic veterinary servicewhere no Veterinary serviceexists. These people live intheir community and arealways available in times ofcrisis. The aim is that theywill be entirely self sufficientby the time their ´gift´ of ananimal arrives assisting thegoal of long termemployment in the area.

SERBIA/ MONTENEGRO PROJECT UPDATE

(Continued from page 1)“ This course is a first for Malawi and it was mostsuccessful and it is hoped that the informationlearnt will reach the poor farmers and change their

lives permanently.”Dr C.B.Chizonda, MalawiDepartment of Agriculture at the end of the VIVAworkshop.

VIVA Community Animal Health Worker Usaarani Behera with villagers.

THE VOLUNTEERSTHAT MAKE THEWHEELS TURN

Golfing for GoodA huge thanks to the teamfrom the Department ofAgriculture in Longfordwhich organised the VIVAGolf Classic in TullamoreCo. Offaly in May 2003.Thecompetition was aresounding success. Theevent organiser was theformer Roscommon andGAA All-star TonyMcManus, ably assisted byAnthony Sweeney , JamesLinnane and Valarie Kells.A special thanks to DrLeonard Dolan for his helpon the day. The fantasticsum of Euro 6,000 wasraised when 100 golferstrailed the course and laterspent a most enjoyableevening in the clubhouse inTullamore. The kindness oflocal business people whodonated prizes as well asthe persistence of oursupporters in puttingtogether an extremely wellorganised event was reallyimpressive.

Of course this just sets thestandard high for the 2004VIVA Golf Classic which hasalready started receivingsubscriptions. Anyonewishing to get involved orthinking of organising asimilar event in their localclub should contact Tony orValarie at 043 -45932 orvivaaid@eircom.net.

An account of the fifth overseasposting held by VIVA BoardMember/ Projects Consultant,Professor Robert Lee, is set inTanzania and makes an excellentread for anyone with an interest isagriculture and development.Professor Lee is well known inVIVA and Bothar circles havingshared his extensive knowledge ofveterinary practice in Africa withboth organisations since theirinception. Formerly Dean of theFaculty if Veterinary Medicine inDublin’s Trinity College for sevenyears and inaugural Dean of theSchool of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of Zambia, Rob’s worktook him to several excitingdestinations including Nigeria andTanzania.

The book chronicles hisexperiences from working as ayoung newly qualified vet throughto the era in which he revisitedAfrica as a consultant ondevelopment projects. This highlypersonal account is full of humourand sensitivity as well as anaccount of the challenges theenvironment posed an outsider.

Commenting on the bookrecently, Isolde Moylan (ConsulGeneral (Boston), Embassy ofIreland, USA, formerly Charged’Affaires, Embassy of Ireland, Dares Salaam, Tanzania) wrote: “Ihave enjoyed every word. It is adelightful story, full of humour and sensitivity and with an amazing recall of things long past. RobLee’s love of the wonderful country and people of Tanzania comes through on every page as does hisdevotion to his chosen veterinary calling, even in the most difficult conditions.”

DESTINATION 5, published by Morrigan in September 2003, is available in bookshops or directly fromthe publishers at Euro 22, (including P&P). By arrangement with the author and publisher, the sumof Euro10 from its purchase will be donated to VIVA for every book purchased by VIVA members. Tofacilitate this donation, please mention VIVA in your order and send the full amount of E 22 toMorrigan Books, Killala, Co. Mayo.

We would like to congratulate Professor Lee on his publication and thank him for his untiringsupport for VIVA’s work.

How you canhelp in 2004?Is there a local community group near you thatwould show the VIVA video to learn moreabout what we do?

Do you work in a company which assignsmoney to charity? Can we send aninformation pack to the Directors?

Donations to VIVA now qualify for tax relief-our charity ref. no. CHY 13510.Have you an idea for a fundraiser?

Just send us an e-mail and we will be delightedto follow up and support any ideas you have.

Website & VideoRemember we have copies of the VIVApromotional video available for anyone or anyorganisation wishing to show it as both as afundraising and education tool.

DESTINATION 5 - Professor Rob Lee´s book is launched

Tony Mc Manus, Longford DVO, onduty on the day.

VOLUNTEERS IN IRISH VETERINARY ASSISTANCE13 Abbeycartron, Longford • Tel: (043) 47869, 47849.

• Fax: (043) 47849

CONTACT:

BRENDAN MIMNAGH • (086) 8509697 or

VALARIE KELLS • (086) 6030304for further information.

Email: vivaaid@eircom.net • Website: www.vivaaid.ie

CONTRIBUTIONS CAN BE SENT TO ....

Volunteers in IrishVeterinary Assistance

Vets have a BallAlmost a year ago, on January 18th, theAnnual Veterinary College Ball tookplace in Jury’s Hotel in Ballsbridge,Dublin. Students and staff of the collegetook the opportunity to do somefundraising for VIVA by running a raffleheld on the night. They managed toraise an impressive Euro 1263 for thecharity’s Malawi Project.

In Malawi, where one if four people diebefore reaching the age of five and lifeexpectancy is just 37 years, VIVA hasbeen involved in training and veterinarysupport for livestock farmers for the pastyear. The Vet College students chose thisproject because of the obvious link totheir studies and would like to extendtheir sincere thanks to Jury’s Hotel,Chanelle, Norbrook and Acravet whokindly sponsored the prizes and event.

Many Thanks to the many businessesand Golf clubs who donated animpressive array of prizes andsponsorship on the day:-

Michael Oates, Eight ‘till LateRoscommon.Michael McSharry, Fourmile House.Barry Donnelly.John P Higgins.VI.Sean Wilson Ltd.Eithne O’Leary.Pat Flanagan.SSVINed Duignan, MRCVS, Roscommon.Interchem Ltd.Gregan McGuinness (Life& Pensions Ltd.)Veterinary Ireland.C+M Vetlink Ltd.Intervet Ltd.Coyle Veterinary Ltd.Killarney Golf & Fishing Club.Castle Hume Golf & Leisure , Enniskillen.Mount Juliet Golf Club.County Sligo Golf Club Rosses Point.Glasson Golf & Country Club.Tullamore Golf Club.

A very special thanks to allwho travelled and playedon the day.

The supply of Artificial Inseminationstraws and equiptment and personnelhave been invaluable to ourdevelopment work overseas, Ourprofound gratitude must go to DermotCahill, Dovea AI station, Thurles,Co.Tipperary and Bernard Eivers,Progressive Genetics, Enfield, Co Meathfor their support.

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Susan Griffin, who qualified as a vet in June2003 presenting a cheque to VIVA SecretaryBrendan Mimnagh.

THE WINNING TEAM: Gay Sheeran, Mick Hannon,Pat King, Gerry Emmett.

Michael Greaney, Progressive Genetics presentingBrendan Mimnagh with a flask containing 6000straws bovine semen for Kosovo.