The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly brought about greater challenges than many of us could ever have imagined. For working horse owners, the closure of businesses such as brick kilns and the tourist industry, has left many without any household income or the means to take care of themselves and their animals.
During what has become an emergency situation for so many, our teams have done what they can to support our project communities in looking after the horses that are so vital to their long-term resilience. With lockdown restrictions in place across many of our project countries, this is not without difficulty, but with the support of partners and local authorities we have provided emergency care and support to those most in need.
Across Colombia, Senegal, South Africa and Nepal our teams have provided feed relief schemes to ensure that owners have continued to have access to feed for their horses and donkeys throughout periods of lockdown. For some owners, the feed has been provided as part of government schemes and at subsidised rates while they cannot afford it due to ongoing loss of income. Owners have been very grateful for this emergency relief while living through such difficult times.