In Rwanda and Senegal, VWB 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.
Local Partners
International Partners
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Read our latest COHERS stories:
Khadia Diallo’s story reveals how women Community Animal Health Workers in rural Senegal are strengthening disease prevention from the ground up — caring for animals, supporting families, and translating One Health principles into everyday practice through the COHERS program.
A community awareness event in rural Senegal offers a window into how local partners and Community Animal Health Workers are building a culture of prevention through dialogue, trust, and repeated engagement under the COHERS program.
A mass vaccination campaign in rural Senegal reveals how Community Animal Health Workers are strengthening prevention, extending veterinary services, and protecting livelihoods in hard-to-reach communities through the COHERS program.
This field report from Rwanda highlights how VWB’s COHERS program is tackling the pork tapeworm Taenia solium through a One Health approach — uniting local One Health Teams, Community Hygiene Clubs, and behaviour-change initiatives to strengthen sanitation, improve animal health, and build momentum at the community level.
This story profiles Donatha Anyinkamiye, Executive Secretary of Tare Sector, whose leadership and advocacy are helping COHERS turn One Health awareness into lasting, community-led change in Rwanda.
Veterinarians Without Borders North America 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.
Khadia Diallo’s story reveals how women Community Animal Health Workers in rural Senegal are strengthening disease prevention from the ground up — caring for animals, supporting families, and translating One Health principles into everyday practice through the COHERS program.
#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers. Meet Kavitha Misra, a Gender Advisor in Vietnam from February 2021 to October 2023. Drawing on her volunteer experience — and her ongoing role as VWB’s Gender Advisor — Kavitha reflects on how her placement shaped her confidence, perspective, and approach to gender-responsive One Health work.
A community awareness event in rural Senegal offers a window into how local partners and Community Animal Health Workers are building a culture of prevention through dialogue, trust, and repeated engagement under the COHERS program.
