HeroRATs: Sniffing Out Landmines and Tuberculosis

Summary

APOPO's trained HeroRATs are saving lives and limbs, by using their exceptional sense of smell to sniff out unexploded landmines and tuberculosis. progress report read updates from the field

How Donors Like You Helped

Thanks to donors like you, a total of £164,383 was raised for this project.

Received £164,383 from 5501 donations from people around the world like:

Raj

Robert

Shalom Flank

(Anon.)

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More Information About this Project

Project Needs and Beneficiaries

APOPO addresses the need for cheap, reliable and locally manageable demining detection services and Tuberculosis screening by training and providing HeroRATs. APOPO’s HeroRATs are currently working in Mozambique to offer villagers safe return to their homesteads, access to vital farmland, and open doors for essential infrastructure. APOPO also partners with DOTS Centers to offer second-line TB screening to a population of 500,000 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Activities

HeroRATs are part of a Mine Action team in Mozambique and are working towards the goal of a mine impact free country. In Tanzania, HeroRATs find an average of 5-10 TB-positive patients each week that were missed by the hospitals.

Funding Information

Total Funding Received to Date: £164,383

Funding Information

This project is now in implementation and no longer available for funding. Received funds will be used to accomplish concrete objectives as indicated in the project's "Activities" section. Updates will be posted under the "Progress Report" tab as they become available.

Donors' contributions and pledges to this project totaled £164,383. The original project funding goal was £127,850.

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources

Why this Project is Important

Potential Long Term Impact

This project will allow families to return to their homes, reclaim and utilize their land, and live without fear of landmines. We will also screen the most vulnerable populations for TB, providing access to treatment and longer, healthier lives.

Project Message

I will be very happy if one day I see my village free from landmines.
- Solomon Chumule, Landmine victim and village elder from Mozambique

Who is Running This Project

Contact

Hannah Ford,

SUA-APOPO
PO Box 3078
Sokoine University, Morogoro
Tanzania, United Republic of
255754272572
Email:

Project Sponsor

Ashoka Innovators for the Public (nominal)

Organisation

APOPO vzw
APOPO vzw Groenenborgerlaan 171
Antwerpen, Belgium B-2020
Belgium
+32-474-362799
http://www.apopo.org

Learn more about APOPO vzw and the project team.

Where this Project is Located

Country

This project is located in Tanzania, United Republic of and can also be found under Health.

For more information about Tanzania, United Republic of, read the Human Development Report on Tanzania, United Republic of or the Wikipedia entry for Tanzania, United Republic of.

When this Project was Updated

Last Updated

This project was last updated on October 10, 2011.

Date Added to GlobalGiving

This project was added to the GlobalGiving project catalog on December 17, 2007.

Latest Update from the Field

You're invited to the HeroRAT Housewarming!

By Jessica Silber - Communications Coordinator, October 10, 2011 10:11 AM

Full Cheeks Friday Celebration

Greetings friends,

Since 2008, APOPO’s HeroRATs have been a part of the GlobalGiving community. We’ve shared our triumphs, challenges, and achievements; we’ve celebrated Bonus Days, Father’s Days, and the holidays. We've been truly honored to have your help along the way. And now, we’re very excited to announce that our project, “HeroRATs: Sniffing Out Landmines and Tuberculosis” is only a sniff away from being fully funded!

Thanks to your generous support, our GlobalGiving project has raised $248,830. That’s a lot of banana treats for the HeroRATs, and it wouldn’t have been possible without you: our 4,671 loyal friends and fans. Because you believed in our cause and were moved to help our heroes, APOPO has grown. Together, we have ensured the release of millions of feet of mine-free land to communities in Mozambique, significantly increased new TB case findings in Tanzania, and extended the reach of our life-saving efforts in new regions.

While we’re celebrating the completion of one project on GlobalGiving, we’re also excited to present a brand-new project page for our supporters: "Train HeroRATs for Life-Saving Detection Missions".

A hero’s work is never done, and this project is the new home for the same life-saving HeroRATs on GlobalGiving. We’d like to invite you to join us there for ongoing Project Reports on our work, as well as up-to-date information, fun photos, and new donation options that go towards supporting all aspects of HeroRAT-hood!

We hope you’ll continue with us on our life-saving journey, as we “Train HeroRATs for Life-Saving Detection Missions!”

With gRATitude,

The HeroRAT Team
herorats@apopo.org
www.apopo.org
www.facebook.com/herorat
www.twitter.com/herorats

Links:

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