History

18 voluntary veterinarians join forces

VSF Belgium is a dynamic organisation that has grown rapidly. It was established in 1994, 10 years after the first “Veterinaires Sans Frontieres” was set up in France. Pascal Leroy, the Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Belgian University of Liege, wanted to make its excellent services available to the vulnerable livestock breeders in the South, who have little or no access to veterinary care. Leroy successfully convinced 18 Flemish and Walloon veterinarians from the Universities of Liege and Ghent to get behind this initiative. The initial capital rose to € 10.000.

First project executed for UNICEF

A few months after being set up, VSF Belgium found itself caught up in a humanitarian storm. UNICEF was looking for a specialist organisation which could provide emergency aid for the victims of the civil war that was raging throughout Southern Sudan. The UN Children’s Fund led a polio vaccination programme, but this received little support from the local population. The herders were only willing to lend their support to this initiative on the condition that steps were also taken to improve the health of their livestock. “If our animals die, our children will have no future anyway” was their reasoning. In a country where animal diseases such as rinderpest wreaked havoc, VSF Belgium provided urgently needed technical expertise, therefore the first project started with the Operation Lifeline Sudan programme.

Rapid growth

In the past 15 years, VSF has also implemented projects in Mali, Niger, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, the Comoros Islands and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since the first project, VSF Belgium has evolved into an organisation that is known throughout practically every corner of Eastern and Western Africa. We fill a gap in the market as one of the only development organisations dealing with livestock farming, with the aim of helping the population. The donor organisations have come to recognise the fruits of our labours. Today, two regional offices in Nairobi, Kenya and in Niamey, Niger ensure the smooth running of our projects in Africa.

Plans for the future

In 2005 we wrote a strategic work plan entitled “Horizon 2015”, a document laying out plans that will enable us to be more effective in our endeavours. VSF Belgium is more than just an association; it is a concept, a philosophy. Our organisation is constantly evolving and growing, with constant respect for cultural differences. By involving the local population and developing the expertise of our local partners, we hope that our actions will have a long term and far-reaching positive impact.

Click here to read VSF Belgium’s timeline from 1994 to present day.