KENYA WOMEN VETERINARY ASSOCIATION PROFILE

The Kenya Women Veterinary Association (KWVA) is a specialized branch of the Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA) comprising of Kenyan women Veterinarians. Women veterinarians in Kenya are about 10% of the total veterinary profession and as such, being the minority, realized the need to form an organization of their own to enhance their professionalism, safeguard their welfare and that of smallholder farmers, most of whom are women.

Currently it has a membership of fifty (50) registered members drawn from all over the country and working in various institutions that include government departments, local research institutions, international research institutions, universities, private sector and non-governmental organizations. The organization is non-profit making and members operate purely on voluntary basis deriving most of its funds from member’s annual subscriptions and contributions from pharmaceutical companies, well-wishers and development partners.

The organization operates on a purely voluntary basis deriving most of its funds from members contributions and occasionally friends of the organization.

We have four main objectives namely;

• To promote the advancement of women veterinarians by working jointly with other gender sensitive groups in exploring appropriate options for its members to combine professional advancement and other commitments.
• To promote livestock production by supporting farmers through gender balanced extension.
• To encourage the girl child to enter the profession
• To participate actively in affairs and play a role in leadership.

Our activities include;

• Supporting government emergency intervention efforts and vaccination campaigns to control epizootics under contractual obligations with the government. KWVA members have been actively involved in training of field staff and other livestock stakeholders on disease recognition, both clinical and on post mortem, and control of emerging diseases such as PPR, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, RVF and Rinderpest.
• Providing quality veterinary support to stakeholders in the livestock sector countrywide through extension, participatory trainings and field days (free animal health clinics). Currently, KWVA has an ongoing two-year Commonwealth Veterinary Association (CVA) funded project whose overall objective is to enhance livestock husbandry skills amongst Maasai pastoral women and finally produce training manuals to be used by frontline extension workers.
• By following issues of advancement and promotion of its members and encouragement of the girl child to undertake courses that will lead to veterinary or other related professions.
• Participating in scientific conferences with KVA and other regional branches.
• Presenting to local and international conferences on development issues for the animal resource industry.

Our members are involved in their individual capacities in National and International projects and services in various professional roles. The organization is endowed with women professionals with vast experiences in different areas of specialization that include training of veterinary field personnel and farmers on recognition and control of animal diseases.