A colleague at work brought me in a cutting about this trust.

The Trust aims to fulfil the growing need for animal welfare education for the owners and users of working horses and donkeys in Gambia. It is thought that if the condition of these working animals can be improved this will help to reduce the poverty of their owners.

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Lazarus was helped, the pictures show him before and after

In the West, we have a feeling that how you treat animals, is a mark of your wider concern and appreciation of the world around you. BUT even today in the UK, there is a requirement for an active RSPCA to make the population aware of our responsibility to animals. In Gambia - where the average life expectancy of humans is less than 50 years and illness and deaths are far more common place than here, such a concern for animals is low on the agenda, even where a persons living depends on the animals good health.

For those interested in the History of things - Heather, the founder of the trust, is the daughter of Eddie Brewer, who with his family went to Gambia in 1957. Her father was a forestry officer and later started the wildlife department in Gambia. He was the founder of Abuko Nature Reserve and was a very keen conservationist.

Heather's sister, Stella after working in Abuko now runs the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation project on Baboon Island and also runs a community development programme. They also run a scholarship scheme for the local children.

The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust was born as a result of the increasing number of animals being bought to Stella for help. The Trust only started at the end of November 2002, they are based in Sambelkounda, Niamina East, an excellent and much needed initative.

The pictures are from the Trust's website, which has further information