World Animal Day: Youthful donkey owners receive life skills training to provide compassionate care

Life Skills Promoters, supported by Brooke East Africa, is implementing the transformative programme in Kiambu, Githunguri, and Kiserian areas.

The initiative has successfully rehabilitated 70 young men and women from drug addiction, instilling a sense of compassion and care for their donkeys - an essential source of livelihood in their communities.

The programme is also expanding into local schools, where a peer group dialogue model is being used to train students on life skills.

The approach not only fosters empathy towards donkeys but also encourages environmental protection.

After receiving training, students pass on their newfound knowledge by teaching fellow classmates and peers, ensuring the message of compassionate care and responsible animal ownership is spread widely.

Participants receive training in essential life skills, including self-awareness, communication, emotional regulation, critical thinking, and self-esteem.

These tools empower them to break away from destructive habits, build brighter futures, and improve the care and welfare of their donkeys.

Peter Nga’nga, a member of the Kiserian donkey owners’ youth group, shared his journey saying: "Before joining this programme, I was struggling with alcohol addiction, often spending my entire income on drinks. I’d fail to deliver services even after being paid and didn't know how to properly care for my donkeys, who were in poor health. Life Skills Promoters and Brooke East Africa helped me turn my life around. Now, I have savings, and my donkeys are much healthier."

For many in these communities, donkeys serve as a vital resource for transportation and income generation.

Thanks to the training, the animals are receiving better care, resulting in improved health and higher productivity, which in turn boosts the economic stability of their owners and the well-being of the community.

According to Collins Otieno, the programme manager at Life Skills Promoters, this initiative not only promotes animal welfare but also empowers youth to lead fulfilling, drug-free lives.

“In honoring World Animal Welfare Day, we recognize that the well-being of working animals, like donkeys, is deeply connected to the prosperity of the communities that depend on them. By empowering learners in schools, and young donkey owners with life skills training, we are fostering compassion, responsibility, and sustainable care, ensuring that these vital animals are treated with the dignity they deserve,” he stated.