Healthy Animals,
Healthy People,
Healthy environment.
What drives us
Around the world, 500 million people living in poverty depend on livestock farming for their livelihoods. If the animals are not well, the livelihoods and lives of these people are at risk. Healthy animals, on the other hand, mean food and income. Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Suisse (VSF-Suisse) is committed to supporting these people and their animals in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa.
By promoting the health and productivity of livestock, we strengthen people’s resilience to disasters and create a sustainable improvement in their living conditions. We work in close cooperation with the local population and pay attention to the sustainable use of natural resources in line with our slogan:
Healthy Animals – Healthy People – Healthy Environment
⇒ Founded in 1988 by students of veterinary medicine at the University of Bern
⇒ 150 local staff in five Country Offices in Africa, 10 at the Head Office in Berne
⇒ Promoting animal health in fragile contexts and remote regions
⇒ Emergency aid in humanitarian crisis situations and long-term development projects
⇒ A sought-after partner for the implementation of projects with large organizations such as the UN, SDC and EU as well as foundations
Areas of activity
⇒ Establishment of basic veterinary services by training and equipping local animal health workers
⇒ Implementation of vaccination campaigns
⇒ Advising animal owners on breeding, hygiene and disease prevention
⇒ Raising awareness of zoonoses, nature conservation and animal welfare
⇒ Distribution of healthy animals to particularly vulnerable population groups during crises
⇒ Promotion of environmentally friendly livestock farming where the soil only permits this form of use
⇒ Innovations in animal feed production
⇒ Development of value chains for the marketing of local animal products
News & stories
Our mission: To improve the wellbeing and resilience of vulnerable populations by promoting the health and productivity of their livestock within a healthy environment.
Our vision: Healthy people derive their livelihoods from healthy livestock in a healthy environment.
Our year 2023 in numbers
49 projects
in 9 countries
378,342 people
supported during emergencies
8,337,850 livestock
treated and vaccinated
2,921 tons
of livestock feed distributed in emergencies
10,398 people
trained
131,793 livestock keepers
provided with animal health services
8,019 people
reached on One Health, the prevention of zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance, food safety, health and nutrition
3 pastoral perimeters
identified and prepared for fodder production
4 milk kiosks
amd one camel milk chilling centre as well as 5 manual weather stations constructed
4 livestock cooperatives
supported
How you can help
Please donate
As a ZEWO-certified humanitarian organisation, Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Suisse guarantees the conscientious and purposeful use of your donations. Every donation counts!
Become a member
Leave behind something special
By including VSF-Suisse in your will, for example with a legacy or by leaving the organization as an heir, you support our work and help people and animals in need sustainably.
Your support arrives where it is most urgently needed – efficiently and sustainably!
Institutional partners and donors
A complete list of our institutional partners and donors can be found here.
