Credit: Brooke
Learning In The Digital Era: Empowering Vets In Developing Countries
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Working animal charity Brooke launches free learning app to support training vets worldwide
Pakistan university recommends Brooke’s resource to students
“Free, international-standard learning resources like this are vital for building capacity in veterinary education” - Dr Ahmed Nawaz Tunio, Professor at Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam
For many veterinary professionals working in low- and middle-income countries, access to up-to-date training and specialist resources can be limited by cost, connectivity and geography.
Global animal welfare charity Brooke has launched a free, globally accessible app designed to remove those barriers and help transform the care of working animals worldwide.
Developed by Brooke’s international equine welfare experts, the Academy for Working Equids (AWE) offers practical, welfare-focused courses covering equine health, behaviour and clinical care, alongside specialised modules supported by UK Aid and The Fleming Fund.
The app is designed primarily for vets and paravets (community animal health workers without veterinary degrees), while also supporting animal welfare and sustainable development organisations working at the front line of animal care.
Working horses, donkeys and mules are essential to millions of families, particularly in developing countries, where animals are often relied upon for transport, agriculture and income generation.
Yet the paravets who support these communities frequently work in challenging conditions, with limited opportunities for continuing professional development.
By offering high-quality learning free of charge and accessible on mobile devices, the app aims to level the playing field for animal health professionals, wherever they are in the world.
For Dr Faiza Riaz, a veterinarian in Pakistan, AWE has become a practical companion in daily practice. Working with horses, donkeys, and mules, she applies the Academy’s courses to improve both clinical care and welfare outcomes.
“These courses helped me interpret subtle cues, make more accurate clinical decisions, and handle animals more empathetically and effectively,” she said.
The platform has also helped close the gender gap in veterinary learning, giving female vets equal opportunities to build skills and confidence in the field.
In nearby communities, the impact of free learning is being felt beyond individual cases. Dr Naimatullah Soomro, a Community Animal Health Officer, uses the platform not only to strengthen his own skills but to support others.
“Before, it was hard to access clear, reliable learning materials,” he explained.
“Now I use what I learn from the Academy to guide community awareness sessions and support animal health providers and equine owners.
“It’s changed how I explain welfare in simple, practical ways that people can really understand.”
At an institutional level, the platform is helping to shape the next generation of vets. Dr Ahmed Nawaz Tunio, Professor and Chairman at Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam, has begun recommending the Academy to students who may go on to work in resource-limited settings.
“Free, international-standard learning resources like this are vital for building capacity in veterinary education,” he explained.
“The Academy strengthens students’ skills in animal health management, with a strong welfare focus on horses, donkeys and mules that families depend on for their livelihoods.”
For many users, the biggest shift has been in mindset. Dr Sharjeel Ali Dayo, a private veterinary doctor in Karachi, described how the Academy changed his approach to everyday practice.
“The platform helped me focus on prevention, not just treatment.
“That means healthier equids, fewer repeat cases, and better outcomes for the animals and the families who rely on them.”
Dr Laura Skippen, Brooke’s Head of Animal Health and Welfare, said: “Brooke’s mission is to give working horses, donkeys and mules a life worth living, but this cannot be done without spreading knowledge and skills as widely as possible.
"Improving access to training will help them (vets) offer better advice to owners, who in turn can better support their animals.
"We hope to inspire a new generation of animal welfare advocates who have the confidence to treat working equids and promote their importance.”
Brooke hopes the app will help close the training gap faced by vets in developing countries, building a new generation of confident, compassionate practitioners.
Sign up to The Academy for Working Equids at awe.thebrooke.org.
ENDS
Images, including screengrabs of the app, available here.
For media enquiries, including additional case studies and interviews, please contact [email protected]
Notes to Editor:
Brooke Action for Working Horses and Donkeys is a U.K. based, global animal health and welfare charity that gives working horses, donkeys and mules a life worth living.
Over 100 million of these animals pull carts, carry goods and work the land, earning an income that around 600 million people rely on to put food on their tables, earn a living and send their children to school. Sadly, many of them are suffering, so Brooke works with owners, communities, service providers, governments and international organisations to make long lasting welfare improvements.
Brooke was founded in 1934 when Dorothy Brooke, a British woman, sought out war horses that had been left in Cairo after the First World War. With support from an appeal letter in the Morning Post newspaper, she set up the Old War Horse Memorial, which became Brooke, and expanded across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Website: www.thebrooke.org
Facebook: thebrookecharity
Instagram @thebrookecharity
TikTok @brookecharity
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