News
The Farmer Field School approach, implemented by the beekeepers of Goubi in Togo
September 2023 - The cooperative Ognidon of the canton of Goubi includes about 20 beekeepers, among them one woman. As part of the implementation of their activities, they are accompanied by our MiKaGo project, especially in the improvement of beekeeping practices....
Tender Notice: Sampling & Diagnostic Equipment
VSF-Suisse invites sealed tenders from eligible candidates for provision of the following: Tender NoTender DescriptionEligibilityClosing DateTender No. 2VSF-Suisse/Sampling& Diagnostic Equipment/001/09/2023Supply & Delivery of Sampling &Diagnostic...
Contact for media:
Philipp Hayoz, Communications Officer
+41 31 332 77 68
Newsletter archive
Meet George Kinuthia, driver in our Kenya office
What is your name, age, and where are you from/did you grow up? I am George Kinuthia, 72 years old, from Kiambu county, Kenya. What is your learned or studied profession/trade? I completed Primary school in 1965 and then chose to become a professional driver and...
Change at the head of VSF-Suisse
Pictured: Nicole Litschgi and Flurina Derungs in Conversation. In her twelve years at VSF-Suisse, the last four of which as Executive Director, Nicole Litschgi has worked tirelessly for people and their animals in Africa. She is leaving our organization at her own...
Horn of Africa: from drought to flooding
Rainfall in parts of the Horn of Africa. © WFP After dry and hot weather conditions in January and February and a corresponding prolongation of the drought in the Horn of Africa, seasonal rains from March to May started on time in equatorial areas of the region and...
Meet Constantin Assi from our Togo country office!
Who are you and where are you from? My name is Constantin Assi, I am 40 years old and I come from Togo. What is your learned or studied profession? I am a manager/accountant with an education in project management. What year did you start working at VSF-Suisse? I...
Meet Rose Juru from VSF-Suisse South Sudan Country office
Who are you and where are you from? My name is Juru Rose Manson Nyara, I am 30 years old and I come from Kajokeji in Central Equatoria State, South Sudan. However, I was born and raised in one of the refugee camps in Adjumani, Uganda. What is your learned or studied...
Inspiring encounters in South Sudan
Children and youth at a cattle camp near Rubkona, South Sudan. South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, has experienced flooding for the last four years with devastating effects for its population. In Unity State for example, which is located in the north and...
Meet Salomon Nikiéma, VSF-Suisse Country Director for Mali
In September 2022, Salomon Nikiéma started his position as Country Director of VSF-Suisse in Mali. In his role, he manages the projects in Mali and is also responsible for our cross-border activities in West Africa. In this interview, Salomon tells us a little about...
VSF-Suisse celebrates its birthday: 35 years of commitment for people and animals in Africa
Picture: The core business of VSF-Suisse are veterinary services. Ethiopia, 2022. We are pleased to celebrate the 35th anniversary of VSF-Suisse this year. The organization has evolved steadily over the past 35 years and today is an established force within the...
Working against drought and hunger in Ethiopia
Pictured: A community animal health worker trained by VSF-Suisse vaccinating goats in Ethiopia. © VSF-Suisse © VSF-Suisse The severe drought and the resulting food crisis continue to threaten human and animal lives in the Horn of Africa (we reported)....
Local food systems to fight global hunger / Sufosec Report 2022
Media Release / Nutrition Report 2022 of the Sufosec Alliance Berne, October 16, 2022 - On the occasion of World Food Day, the Sufosec Alliance, a coalition of six Swiss NGOs, is publishing its first report on the food situation in 16 countries of the Global South....
Update: Drought and food crisis in the Horn of Africa
Picture: Somali region, Ethiopia © FAO/Michael Tewelde The food crisis in the Horn of Africa has been worsening despite major humanitarian efforts and the latest forecasts for the coming months are worrying. The ongoing drought, rising food prices, lack of...
Finally “in person” again – impressions from this year’s General Assembly
After the VSF-Suisse General Assembly could only take place online for the past two years, we were finally able to welcome our members in person again this year. On Saturday, July 18, 2022, we met at the National Horse Center (NPZ) in Bern. After the welcome by the...
How the VSF International network is supporting Ukraine
One month after the start of the war in Ukraine, more than 3.6 million people have fled the country and an estimated 6.5 million have been displaced internally, while humanitarian needs are increasing exponentially. Every day, thousands of people flee from Ukraine...
Animal Health Services for Horses and Donkeys in South Sudan
In South Sudan, horses and especially donkeys play a central role both in cultivating the fields and as a means of transportation and valuable possession for the families. With our AWELAD project we aim to improve the health of horses and donkeys as well as sensitize...
Community-based surveillance of animal diseases
In November of last year, the institute for Veterinary Public Healthat the University of Berne, the network for EcoHealth and One Health (NEOH), the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office and the Early Career Representatives of the EcoHealth International organized...
Severe drought in the Horn of Africa intensifies
Following drought disasters in 2011 and 2016-2019, the countries of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa are once again in a precarious situation. The dire effects of the current drought on the region's people and animals are compounded by additional...
Female Community Animal Health Workers in South Sudan – a success story
Many of our activities are aimed specifically at women – among other things, they aim to strengthen the role of women in society. In South Sudan, for example, we are working with local communities to show them the positive aspects of giving women a more active role in...
Drought in Dawa zone in Ethiopia claims 47,000 animal lives, food insecurity increases
The Dawa zone in Ethiopia has been struggling with severe drought for more than a year. The local administration and government, together with their humanitarian partners, including VSF-Suisse, analyzed the situation at the end of October. The report, which you can...
For healthy animals in Togo
Together with our partners in Togo, we support cooperatives of smallholder farmers in their fight against animal diseases. Since September of this year, more than 30 of these cooperatives have benefited from the establishment of an animal health fund that allows them...
Invitation to the General Assembly 2021
We are happy to invite our members to the VSF-Suisse General Assembly 2021. At the General Assembly we will inform you about our different activities. It will take place online again this year. Where: online Date: Saturday, 12 June 2021, 10-12 a.m. Link: We will send...
Looming crisis in the Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is facing a crisis. The current nutritional situation is precarious and predictions for the remainder of 2021 are alarming – with warnings of famine for certain regions. The combined effects of a weak last rainy season and a delayed current...
Update on the desert locust situation and its impact on the people in the greater Horn of Africa
Image © FAO Desert locusts remain present across the greater Horn of Africa (HoA). Although current swarms are smaller and less numerous, the impact on affected communities remains high and may lead to increased vulnerability of pastoralist and agro-pastoralist...
Healthy animals – empowered women!
Many of our projects specifically aim to empower women. Why is that? 75% of all people in need worldwide are women and children. Although more than 50% of all food worldwide is produced by women, women account for 70% of all people suffering from hunger. When women...
Environmental protection and improved living conditions for people – both are possible!
The expansion of environmental protection and the improvement of the living conditions of thousands of people can go hand in hand, as the example of our recently completed project APFA II shows. Within the framework of this project, VSF-Suisse has been working with...
United Nations praise VSF-Suisse’s work as “inspiring example of SDG implementation”
In the five years since the adoption of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), many stakeholders have taken innovative steps towards implementing this ambitious global framework. Following a call for submissions of good...
The fight against Covid-19 in our partner countries continues
The Covid-19 pandemic has kept the entire human race on edge for months. People already affected by hunger and poverty are often particularly hard hit. VSF-Suisse therefore supports the populations in the project countries with various activities in their fight...
The locust plague in the Horn of Africa is far from over
Since December 2019, the countries of the Horn of Africa have been fighting the worst plague of locusts in the last 25 years. And Kenya, for example, has not seen a plague of this magnitude in the last 70 years! Benefiting from the long rainy season, the desert...
«In just one day the locusts destroy the livelihoods of 35,000 people!»
Our program manager for East Africa, Frédérique Darmstaedter, informed on June 9th at the radio program CQFD on RTS about various questions regarding the current desert locust plague of the century in the Horn of Africa. We are very gald that we were able to draw more attention to this catastrophe!
This is a first success – but we will continue to fight for more visibility to the plague!
A short report from the life of a beneficiary of our project work in Somalia
The Lifesaving and Livelihood restoration project and the related Somalia Monitoring and Learning Project aim at improving the livelihoods of vulnerable communities.
The beneficiaries of the projects are farmers, low-income and vulnerable households, but also disadvantaged social classes such as households headed by women.
The year 2019 at VSF-Suisse – in the annual report we look back on our work
We are proud to present this activity report to our supporters. Here are some examples of our work during the last year:
A women’s cooperative on the move
As part of a project visit to Toog in January of this year we met the Sheanut Butter Women's Cooperative in the picture. They take part in our project in the centre of the country. With the shea nuts, a new, sustainable source of income for them, they can earn an...
How we fight against Coronavirus – for instance in Mali
What exactly does VSF-Suisse do in the fight against Coronavirus? In Mali, for example, we are conducting awareness campaigns. Together with our partner organisation, we have set up posters and hand washing stations at milk sales points. Under the motto "Simple ways...
New date of the campaign “Vaccinate for Africa” 2020
Unfortunately, due to the current situation we have to postpone this year's "Vaccination for Africa". The campaign will now take place in the first week of December, from 30.11.-5.12. In the coming weeks we will inform about the details of the new date. Already...
Record proceeds from “Vaccines for Africa” 2019
Last year, a total of 90 practices from all over Switzerlanddonated over 47,000 francsto "Vaccinate for Africa". That's a new record! A huge thanks to all participants, helpers and our longtime exclusive sponsor Virbac Switzerland Ltd. for their long lasting support...
One Health – How can we be more effective together?
A while ago, VSF International organized a conference for students in agronomy sciences and in veterinary and human medicine. The aim of the conference was to raise awareness on the importance of One Health to tackle issues such as climate change.
Addressing the Double-Crisis of Locusts and COVID-19 in the greater Horn of Africa
While the whole world is currently focusing on COVID-19, the unprecedented plague of locusts in the 8 countries of the Horn of Africa (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Southern Sudan, Uganda and Somalia) is being pushed into the background.
COVID-19 – what are VSF-Suisse’s activities regarding the pandemic?
The corona virus is omnipresent – we, too, have had to completely reorganise our working methods in recent weeks. We are aware of the global impact of this epidemic, but will continue our work to protect vulnerable people and animals in the best possible way
Community animal health workers — a core aspect of our work
Community animal health workers are an important part of our work. Thanks to those trainings, lay people can provide veterinary support to their communities.
“VACCINAE FOR AFRICA” 2020 – THE STARTING SIGNAL IS GIVEN!
The starting signal has been given: Three months left until the next "Vaccinatite for Africa" campaign takes place! During one week, veterinary practices from all over Switzerland collect the income from the vaccinations and donate part or all of it to VSF-Suisseto...
Impressions from the milk value chain in Mali
VSF-Suisse has been supporting the local milk value chain for fifteen years. We connect livestock farmers with markets through various milk collection points, mini dairies and 88 milk sale points in the greater Bamako area and in the west of the country.
The faces of the drought
23 September 2019 is the first official autumn day of the year, but the cooler temperatures can already be clearly felt. Again in this summer the heat had us firmly in its grip again and heat waves rolled mercilessly over us.
Arbor Day In Togo
Togo has long been among the countries with the highest deforestation rates in the world, even though its forests cover only little surface (6.8% of the national area in 2011). The protected Abdoulaye forest is one of the Togolese natural areas which have been most...
General Assembly 2019
We are looking forward to this year’s General Assembly on June, the 15th in the Aquatis Lausanne. As always, it is open to members and anyone who wants to become one!
Another drought in The Gedo Region of Somalia
The Gedo region in Somalia is on the verge of a drought, because so far it has received only very little rain from the country’s most important rainy season. .
Directly from the field: a project to avoid conflicts between Sedentary farmers and agro-pastoralists in Togo
In West Africa, for many agro-pastoralists –so-called "transhumant" peoples—the season of migration has begun. Similar to Swiss farmers who in summer move their livestock to the alps to benefit from the lush mountain pastures, transhumant groups around the world...
Vaccinate for Africa 2019
Little to go! Swiss veterinarians support their colleagues in Africa: This year VSF-Suisse's traditional vaccination week will take place for the 14th time. During this vaccination week, which will take place from 13-18 May 2019, veterinary clinics throughout...
The Camel – Defying Droughts and Supporting Women!
During droughts, food and water are scarce, animals become emaciated, give less milk, are more susceptible to disease and incur a higher mortality rate. As a result, thousands of cows, sheep and goats have fallen victim to droughts in Kenya in recent years.
United We Are stronger – VSF-Suisse and VSF-Germany strengthen their partnership
VSF-Suisseand VSF-Germanyorganised a joint workshop in Nairobi in mid-November. The aim of the workshop was to strengthen the cooperation between the two organisations and to develop a joint strategy for the Horn of Africa. VSF-Suisse and VSF-Germany are both members...
VSF-Suisse celebrated its 30th anniversary in Bern.
VSF-Suisse celebrated its 30th anniversary in Bern. We were delighted about the numerous visits by friends, supporters and partners. After an informal exchange, an interesting panel discussion on the subject of One Health took place. The One Health approach combines...
Our program manager for West Africa, Christian Wirz, was on mission in Togo
My name is Christian, I am programme manager for West Africa at VSF-Suisse. In July I visited our project in Togo. I am pleased to share with you some impressions from the region of the Abdoulaye Forest. Although this forest was declared a nature reserve in 1951, it...
“Vaccinate for Africa ” 2018 – the Top-10-veterinary practices
Almost two months have already passed since "Vaccinate for Africa" week 2018. Many thanks to all veterinary practices who took part in this important campaign! The top 10 veterinary practices currently include Bessy's Kleintierklinik AG from Watt/Regensdorf, the Tezet...
Dairy-sector learning tour visits VSF-Suisse Project in Kenya
In March 2018, CELEP (Coalition of European lobbies for Eastern African pastoralism) organized a one-weak learning tour on dairy for representatives from West Africa to Kenya.
The first day of the CELEP learning tour brought the representatives to Isiolo to learn about camel milk cooperatives. This visit was organised by VSF-Suisse. Read more about the visit of the VSF-Suisse project in Isiolo!
Kenya: Technology at the Service of Animal Health
In Isiolo County (Kenya), herders usually live far away from veterinary health services. With the local veterinary authorities and our partner Biovision, we trained 18 members of the local communities in animal diseases reporting, and we equipped them with a smartphone.Thus, they are now able to diagnose and report the herds’ diseases to Isiolo’s veterinary services, who can then act quickly to stop the diseases’ propagation.
In South Sudan, donkeys And horses are essential to Survive
In many countries, donkeys help the inhabitants for land cultivation and they transport water as well as commodities. Nevertheless, their well-being and their health are often neglected.
Vaccinate for Africa 2017 : THANK YOU !
Veterinarians and their clients support the ongoing training of smart young people in Africa: thanks to the commitment of veterinarians throughout all Switzerland, our 2017 “Vaccinate for Africa” week has already raised 37'141 Francs. This event was made possible by...
