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Rescue & Rehabilitation
Our Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre at Maramba Farm was established in response to the growing need for specialised equine care for working donkeys. As Zambia's only dedicated donkey sanctuary, the centre provides a level of treatment, recovery, and long-term support that cannot always be delivered through our field programmes.
Every donkey has a name and a story.
Over 150 donkeys have passed through the sanctuary at Maramba Farm. Some arrive with painful wounds, malnutrition, or untreated illness. Others are elderly and exhausted after years of work with little chance to rest. Here, they receive safety, skilled veterinary care, and the time they need to recover physically, rebuild their confidence, and enjoy the highest possible standard of welfare.
The Journey to Recovery
Donkeys are identified through our veterinary clinics, community reports, or emergency welfare cases. Upon arrival, every donkey receives a full veterinary assessment. Based on these findings, we develop an individualised care plan tailored to each donkey's specific needs.
1. Treatment
Our on-site veterinary team provides immediate treatment for urgent conditions and ongoing daily care throughout the recovery process. This includes wound management, nutritional support, preventative healthcare, and careful monitoring to track progress.
2. Rehabilitation
As donkeys recover physically, they also require time to rebuild confidence and learn safe handling practices. This phase involves gradual exposure to human contact, consistent care routines, and positive reinforcement. Donkeys regain weight, rebuild muscle strength, and become accustomed to being handled and managed safely.
3. Return or Retire
Where possible, recovered donkeys return to their owners with better equipment and guidance. Donkeys who can no longer work retire here, living out their lives in comfort and companionship.
SUCCESS STORY
THE JOURNEY OF BETTER
In 2020, we rescued Better, a frail donkey bearing deep wounds on his knees from collapsing under heavy charcoal loads and angry welts on his neck from a wooden ox yoke. Released into the care of ZWDP, he began his healing journey, his wounds gradually closing as his strength slowly returned.
Today, Better's intelligence shines through in his learnt behaviours and commanding presence, though his wariness around humans reflects the trauma of his past. He's gentle with other donkeys and content spending his days grazing peacefully, equally happy taking charge or simply relaxing into the retirement he's earned.
Ready to Write the Next Success Story?
Every donkey in our care has a story like Better's, a journey from suffering toward healing. Your support makes these transformations possible. Whether through adoption or donation, you're providing the specialised veterinary care, nutritious food, and safe sanctuary that vulnerable donkeys desperately need.