Last year’s prolonged drought hit Mngwangwa hard. As conditions worsened across Malawi, leading to a national disaster declaration in November 2025, working donkeys in this peri-urban community were left without safe water or adequate feed. Shallow ditches, used for washing and increasingly dried up, became the only water option, while depleted pastures left animals with little to graze on.
For many households in Mngwangwa, donkeys are central to daily life, transporting water, firewood, farm inputs and produce. When a donkey is too weak to work, the impact on a household is immediate.
In response, the Lilongwe Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (LSPCA), with support from SPANA, constructed community water troughs in targeted areas across Lilongwe. These troughs provide clean, safe drinking water for donkeys year-round. Owners are responsible for keeping them filled, ensuring animals have a reliable source regardless of the season.
To support recovery, LSPCA, with support from SPANA, has also provided feed supplementation to help donkeys regain body condition after the prolonged drought. Many animals arrived at this intervention visibly underweight and weak. Supplementary feed, alongside access to clean water, gives them a stronger foundation to recover and return to full working capacity.
Alongside these measures, LSPCA has been conducting education sessions with community chiefs, donkey owners, and herders. These sessions build knowledge on donkey welfare and encourage communities to take ownership of the troughs so they remain functional long-term.
