In Rwanda and Senegal, Veterinarians Without Borders North America is implementing One Health initiatives that empower women to take leading roles in zoonoses control.
Community One Health Empowerment in Rwanda and Senegal (COHERS)
Goal: Empowering communities to improve health outcomes through One Health approaches to prevent, detect, and respond to prevalent zoonoses, including anthrax and cysticercosis.
Target Groups: Women, men, girls, and boys, with a focus on marginalized women and girls.
Where: Rwanda (Nyamagabe District) and Senegal (Kedougou and Velingara Departments)
Duration: 2023-2027 (4 years)
Reach: COHERS aims to directly reach over 127,674 people.
The Situation
In Rwanda and Senegal, high interaction between humans, animals, and the environment poses significant risks for zoonotic diseases. These risks are exacerbated by gender inequalities, which limit women's and girls' access to health resources, decision-making power, and economic opportunities. Women and girls, who are primarily responsible for household livestock, water, sanitation, and food preparation, are particularly vulnerable to zoonotic diseases like anthrax.
What We Are Doing
In collaboration with local and international partners, key activities include:
Training and Support for One Health Teams (OHTs): Establishing and training OHTs comprising community health workers (CHWs), community animal health workers (CAHWs), and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) actors.
Gender-Responsive Approaches: Ensuring all project activities are gender-responsive, empowering women and girls to take leading roles in zoonoses control.
Community Sensitization: Conducting outreach through One Health Days and educational materials to improve community knowledge and practices related to human-animal-environment interactions.
Resource Provision: Supplying vaccines, screening and testing supplies, and treatment medications to support zoonoses prevention and control.
Collaborative Research and Learning: Partnering with academic institutions to conduct research and share findings to inform policy and improve One Health strategies.
Year 1 (2024) Activities
In the first year, COHERS will focus on:
Sustainability
COHERS aims to establish sustainable community-level One Health systems that are integrated with national strategies in Rwanda and Senegal. By training local actors and strengthening existing structures, the project ensures long-term impact and resilience.
Human Rights
The project centers on a rights-based approach, empowering women, and girls as key actors in One Health activities. By addressing gender inequalities and improving access to health resources, COHERS promotes health equity and community well-being.
Partners
Local Partners: UGHE Center for One Health (Rwanda), WaterAid Rwanda, Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (Senegal), Solthis (Senegal), Cascades (Senegal)
International Partners: University of Guelph (Canada), Institute of Health Economics
COHERS is possible because of generous funding by Global Affairs Canada.
Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord couldn't do the work we do without your support. Whether it's a financial donation or a donation of your time, by improving the health of animals you will be working to improve the health and quality of life for people throughout the world.
This article explores the persistent threat of anthrax and the critical need for community-led surveillance in preventing zoonotic outbreaks. It highlights how VWB’s One Health approach—through the COHERS program, CAHW training, and gender-responsive outreach—strengthens local capacity to detect and manage neglected diseases, protecting both human and animal health in vulnerable communities.
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