Gifts in Action
The difference a shade shelter can make…
Zar Muhammad, from Peshawar, Pakistan owns 16 donkeys and supports his seven children and aged parents with the wages he earns from working in the Sureai brick kiln.
During the summer months the temperatures in the city of Peshawar can reach a sweltering 50°C – and the brick kilns are even hotter. The back-breaking work of transporting heavy loads of bricks was punishing enough, but the conditions in which the poor donkeys lived in were even more unbearable.
They spent most of their lives in a decrepit, crowded and stiflingly hot shed, which provided no ventilation or comfort. Many of the donkeys suffered from dehydration and skin problems, and they were also clearly distressed and lacked appetite and energy.
When Brooke vet Dr Gulshad Khan and his team visited the brick kiln they immediately noticed the terrible state of the shed and, after carrying out examinations, could see how the donkeys were being affected.
The team discussed the suffering of the donkeys with Zar Muhammad, and advised him that their working hours should be reduced, they should carry lighter loads and they should have access to fresh water at all times. Importantly, the Brooke team, Zar Muhammad and the brick kiln owner also took the decision to demolish the shed and, with the Brooke’s expert advice, construct a new shelter which would offer the animals shade and protection from the sun, and also ventilation and comfort.
Now the animals at the Sureai brick kiln are allowed rest in the cool, comfortable new shelter – which protects them against the glare of the blistering sun and gives them space to move around freely.