Charity Working to Help Equines Affected by Guatemala Volcano
Photos courtesy of Brooke USA.
Brooke USA
The animal victims of Guatemala’s worst disaster in decades, the Fuego volcano, will receive emergency disaster relief from Brooke USA and its donors.
Brooke USA is the sister organization of Brooke, the world’s largest international equine welfare charity. Brooke USA has set a goal to raise $10,000 to provide emergency relief and disaster recovery through Brooke’s partner in Guatemala: ESAP (Healthy Equines for the People). Last year alone, Brooke USA funded nearly $250,000 for programs to improve the welfare of horses, donkeys, and mules in Guatemala through ESAP.
ESAP’s team is currently on the ground, working with local authorities to assess the most urgent needs as a result of the volcano, and activate a plan that will be most effective.
Guatemala is home to 228,000 horses, donkeys, and mules – the highest number of equines in any Central American country. Guatemala is also home to 16.3 million people, with more than 9% of the population living below the international poverty line. Much of the working equine population in Guatemala is used for transporting agricultural products such as corn, beans and wood and for carrying water from wells to homes.
In developing countries like Guatemala, working equines are the backbone of literally millions of poor families. The loss of a family’s horse, donkey, or mule makes it very difficult – if not impossible – for a family to support itself.
Brooke USA’s mission is to significantly improve the welfare of working horses, donkeys and mules and the people they serve throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America by raising funds and responsibly directing them to the areas of greatest need.
For more information on Brooke USA’s Equine Emergency Disaster Relief Fund, go to www.BrookeUSA.org/disaster-relief, call the Brooke USA office in Lexington, Kentucky at 859-296-0037, or email Cindy.Rullman@BrookeUSA.org.
