Hi EA community,

I lead the African Institute for Animal Welfare (AIFAW) based in Entebbe, Uganda. We have been operating for 6+ years, working exclusively on plant based alternatives and farmed animal welfare through policy advocacy, community education, evidence-based research and innovative technologies

Why this work matters here

East Africa's animal agriculture sector is growing fast and the welfare infrastructure to match it is almost entirely absent. No enforced national welfare laws and almost no data. We are trying to build that foundation now before industrial systems become fully entrenched and change becomes exponentially harder.

What we have done

Our most significant work has been direct on community and government engagement, getting animal welfare into policy conversations at the national level in Uganda. This has taken many years of relationship building though slow but real.

We have also produced a documentary on pig welfare conditions in Uganda, filmed on the ground, showing the reality of how pigs are kept, transported and handled in our context 

 (It contains distressing content).

What we are looking for

• Volunteers with skills in research, M&E, communications or campaign strategy
• Researchers interested in collaborating on welfare measurement in informal smallholder systems
• Anyone who has navigated similar challenges and is willing to share what they learned

I would genuinely welcome feedback on our approach, connections to relevant people or simply a conversation with others doing this work.

Happy to answer any questions below

kirumira Julius, Executive Director, AIFAW 

aifaw.org