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Information:
The Gambia Horse & Donkey Trust (GHDT) is a UK and Banjul
based and registered animal charity helping sick, malnourished
and neglected draft animals. The project was founded
in 2002 by the late
Stella Marsden and her sister Heather Armstrong.
The association welcomes volunteers,
medical supplies, accepts gift aid and online donations
via various charity donation
websites such as JustGiving
UK.
When the animal charity first started working in The Gambia
they asked farmers in their area what they wanted most and
the majority said veterinary support to tackle injury and
diseases such as African Horse Sickness, Equine Influenza,
West Nile virus (WNV, Sleeping Sickness, tick fever etc. The
GHDT started by providing basic veterinary treatment by volunteer
vets from the United Kingdom who also provided essential training
to their local employees.
The GHDT knew it was vital to deal with animal management
and nutrition as many of the issues they see with donkeys
and horses arise as a result of rural poverty. It also assists
with community development programs in order to stimulate
the economy of the local community.
The aim of the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust is to provide
Gambians with the necessary training to tackle problems on
their own, so they received help from the World Horse Welfare
which is an international horse charity headquartered in the
UK which helps train harness producers and farriers. The animal
charity provided scholarships for people to train as paraveterinary
workers and it partnered with the School of Veterinary Science
at the University of Liverpool to provide training to locals
on equines.
The GHDT also provides workshops for farmers groups
and offer training to people. It also started teaching in
local schools and through their Donkey Club it works with
boys who normally care for village donkeys.
Every year the GHDT puts on a horse show competition
which, as well as being enjoyable, is also used as a chance
to get as much animal care information over to the participants
and spectators as possible.
The charity has simple laboratory and hospital facilities
as well as mobile clinics, accommodation for volunteers and
stables for around 25 animals in Sambel Kunda. In the course
of treating the numerous diseases affecting donkeys and horses
they discovered that little was known about some of them.
As a result the Universities of Liverpool and Glasgow intervened
with assistance from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency and
are providing help and research that is needed to aid farmers.
With the exception of the local Gambian staff all other work
is carried out by volunteers. As a result they welcome online
donations which can carry out by credit card or debit card
as well as by direct debit. You can also sponsor a horse or
donkey for an annual fee.
GHDT Gift Shop:
The store allows you to buy equipment or drug treatment for
a draft animal owner and help relieve poverty at the same
time. Among the products are swingle trees, worming treatment,
English bit, trypanosomiasis treatment kits, harnesses, mobile
clinic visit, numnahs, carts, ploughs, limited edition prints,
Christmas cards and notelets, etc.
Ways To Help:
Below are most of the ways you can help the charity:
• Online Donations
• Text Donations
• JustGiving 
• Fundraise with 'eBay for Charity'
• The GivingMachine
• Fundraising
• Gift Aid
• Legacy Gift
• The Big Give
• Donations of Head Collars and Bits
• Sponsoring a Horse or Donkey
• Gift Certificates for family & friends
• Giveacar
• YourGold2Cash
• Volunteering
• Charity-Ecosystem
• Recycling Ink Cartridges and Toners
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