Veterinaires Sans Frontieres (VSF Suisse)

Vétérinaires sans Frontières Suisse helps in those parts of the world where poverty is widespread and where there are very limited veterinary structures like for instance in conflict and drought prone areas. In their projects the population benefits from instant support through vaccination campaigns but also from longer-term interventions such as knowledge transfer, training of lay vets or the consultation of public veterinary authorities. Through the fight against animal diseases, especially the so-called zoonoses (diseases such as splenic fever or avian influenza, which are transmissible onto humans) VSF-Suisse makes an important contribution to public health. VSF-Suisse supports livestock owners on their way to independence. Education plays a key role in this process. They advise livestock owners in the areas of breeding, hygiene and disease prevention and help them to improve the production and marketing of their produce. Further, they encourage the formation of associations and small businesses. Wherever possible they work with local partners and include all stakeholders in all phases of their projects in order to ensure long-term successes. During project conception they pay special attention to social structures, sustainability, ecological viability and animal protection.