Wrapping up the Project, Creating a Program

This is the final official post of our project, but our efforts in Tunisia created a network of multidisciplinary people dedicated to donkey welfare and poverty alleviation. Tricia and Jaber are back in the United States, but will continue to be a resource and stay involved with this initiative. It is clear from our project that establishment of a Donkeys for Development program is a viable idea worth moving forward. Here’s a recap and reflections of our project, and our hopes for the future.

The ‘donkeys for development’ concept began as a homework assignment for our fall International Agricultural Development project design course with David Miller at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). It transformed into an informal collaboration with a grassroots donkey welfare non-government organization (NGO) in Tunisia. After months of emails, skyping, planning and writing, the project was propelled forward in May by a grant from the UC Davis Blum Center for Developing Economies and support from D-Lab at UC Davis.

Writing a grant proposal was a great learning experience and a little stressful as the deadline approached...

 

...but we remained committed to our team approach

Two weeks after we were awarded the grant, the NGO experienced management changes and a new director stepped in. We tried to negotiate implementing our project with him, but he had a different agenda in mind for our efforts. We had to back out of working with that NGO, but we were not giving up on our project. 

In the months before we left, we made phone calls, connected with global animal welfare and community development folks. We broadened our scope and reworked our objectives. Instead of focusing on one NGO, we would travel around Tunisia to assess the condition of the donkeys, provide some veterinary care and understand how to connect with communities and build a network of engaged Tunisians. We also wanted to identify design projects for D-Lab by visiting with blacksmiths, veterinarians and engineers. Of course, any experienced international development specialist will tell you project objectives are usually quite different from on-the-ground realities.

When we arrived in Tunisia we started from scratch with these adjusted but still idealistic aims. We had a good start to our time in Tunisia by meeting with key individuals. We relied heavily on Jaber’s preexisting professional colleagues and his ability to network. Tricia's presence provided the novelty of a skilled American donkey veterinarian. Personal connections expanded rapidly and we were able to procure donated products, student assistance and communities to visit within the first ten days. First reality check was accepting we underestimated how much time and energy it would take to organize and conduct meetings, plan events and scope new activities. 




This pace took its toll on Tricia, whose body was not familiar with Tunisian pathogens and city poor air quality, so she lost a few days due to respiratory flu. Coughing may have interrupted her sleep but that didn’t stop her from tending to the donkeys in southern Tunisia. We had a rich experience in the Tataouine area where we learned to honor our role as professionals from America and put UC Davis graduate course principles of development into action. 

First, the concept of sustainability was ever present as we showed our local veterinary hosts how to perform dental and hoof care. We also took the opportunity to comprehend the lives of the donkey owners to get their buy-in of the importance of better donkey husbandry so they would continue to request the services.  Our experience in Chenini taught us being welcomed in one village does not mean the next village will be as eager for our services.

In Chenini, we had only two donkey patients out of an entire village of donkeys

The Mashreq Shams community development group activities reminded us of the challenge of a second development principle: ‘don’t do for others what they can do for themselves’. It’s critical to balance what a community perceives as a need versus what you think will benefit them. Careful thought must go into how to transfer the preferred information or service. We were thrilled to get the veterinary students trained in not only the veterinary skills, but also communicating with the locals. Our collaboration with the community development group created an avenue for the veterinary students to continue working with the donkeys and further understand the mindset of the residents.
 

We hope at least a few locals in the communities we had contact with really grasped the impact our treatments would have on their donkeys' health and function and spread the word. Some of them were already exhibiting good husbandry practices and we complimented them by asking them to share their ideas with others. We think we even inspired a few youngsters to see how awesome donkeys are and the importance of proper care. 

The community events were inspiration for utilizing a third main principle of development - use local resources. For our project, this meant enlisting veterinary students as a labor resource, engaging Medivet as supply resource, and seeking craftsmen, such as the blacksmith, to provide us with locally crafted tools. It also gave Tricia an opportunity to brainstorm creative solutions like felted rope covers made from abundant sheep fleece. 

One of the highlights of our time in Tunisia was teaching at the veterinary school. Sharing knowledge and skills with future colleagues was personally rewarding and also ensures the continuation of our efforts for the welfare of the donkeys. 

A main concept we learned in our graduate coursework is the difference between a project and a program. We went to Tunisia to conduct a short term project. The project activities identified a need. Our effort for the UC Davis Blum Center 'Poverty Alleviation Through Donkey Welfare in Tunisia' project has established the groundwork for creating a sustainable 'Tunisian Donkeys for Development' program.  We're hopeful this will be a reality with the help of the amazing people we met and the support of our followers (those of you reading the blog know we mean you!).  

So, stay tuned, we'll be posting here again from time to time with updates on developing a program. In the meantime, here's our favorite pictures to remind you why we think helping the donkeys can impact the lives of people.

Time out to be a tourist in Tunisia

Our time in Tunisia wasn't all work. There were a few moments to put down the dental and hoof files to appreciate the country as a tourist. Here's are some highlights from the last week in Tunisia; it was hard to choose which pictures to show.

On our way home from tending to the donkeys in Mashreq Shams, we stopped at the Roman Ruins in Sbeitla. Breathtaking. Surreal.

foundations of ancient shops and houses sit next to modern villages

A few days later, Jaber took me back to the souk (market) in the center of Tunis because playing the role of tourist is not complete without spending the last of your dollars. I decided I needed to get more woven rugs and a few other goodies because despite best intentions, this may be my last trip to Tunisia. Before I got to the shopping, there were a lot of pictures to be taken. I was especially fascinated by columns, doors and doorknockers.

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this craftsman makes leather goods adorned with pieces of wool and silk tapestries

so many gorgeous rugs to choose from

Look closely in the window to get a glimpse of a  man hard at work weaving a pink tapestry. This was in an alley where we stopped for raisin juice, citronade, tea and tobacco hookah after shopping.

"bread made fresh daily"

subway sandwich, Tunisian style, warm wrap with tuna, hard boiled egg and cucumbers

We also headed outside of the city to Carthage to visit the North Africa American Cemetery where thousands of American soldiers from World War II are buried. It is a beautiful resting place which is green and very well maintained.

We continued on to Sidi Bou Said on the coast, which was absolutely gorgeous with bright whites and blues bejeweled with colored window panes and flowers.

jasmine flower bud bouquets are a popular sales item

Being a visitor in Tunisia is certainly a feast for the senses !!!!