Overseas opportunities
- Oct 10, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 17
Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust - Capacity Building in Gambia
Date: 6th - 20th February 2026 (flexible depending on flights)
Duration: Two weeks
Location: Makasutu, Gambia
BEVA Trust is looking for two veterinary volunteers (vets and EVN’s) to travel to Makasutu, Gambia to support the work of the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust’s (GHDT). The volunteers will provide support for the GHDT team in any way possible. This involves helping the GHDT team with cases, suggesting treatment and offering explanation of procedures in the purpose-built veterinary centre. Although predominately horses and donkey Every week the mobile veterinary clinic team travel to different villages to provide treatments to animals in need. Whilst the focus is on working horses, donkeys and mules, the team would never turn away any animal in need of veterinary care. The team have treated and care for a variety of animals including dogs and even camels! Working animals are an integral part of life in rural Gambia, so their owners are keen to gain preventative health care treatments whenever possible.
The volunteers would also be assisting and advising on the mobile clinic. Volunteers may also be asked to deliver lectures/workshops to staff and students form the local university. Volunteers need to have good teaching skills with the ability to encourage and inspire through practical demonstrations. Just some of the main topic area to cover include, The importance of good, professional nursing and patient care, clinical examination and actively interpreting the findings and acting on them, dentistry, farriery and recognising lameness.
Volunteers need to have the ability to work comfortably without access to many diagnostic aids and must be prepared to try to understand the local culture and customs. An interest in tropical medicine and an open mind would be an advantage.
Accommodation, meals and travel will be provided by BEVA Trust and host.
For further information, travel advice and entry requirements for The Gambia see https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/the-gambia
For more information about volunteering with the BEVA Trust take a look at the volunteering FAQ’s
Contact us for further information or to register your interest in this opportunity email leaya@beva.org.uk with your CV and cover note. Applications close 9th November.
International Workshop on Working Equids in Türkiye
Dates: 21st to 28th February 2026 (dates may vary depending on travel arrangements)
Duration: Ten days
Location: Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye
BEVA Trust is looking for two volunteer veterinary professionals, ideally a vet and vet nurse to travel to Türkiye to support the second international workshop on Working Equids. Held in Afyonkarahisar and based at Afton Kocatepe University organised by Prof. Dr. Halil Selçuk Biricik. The workshop on Working Equids is intended to provide education to vet technician students and owners, to educate in the field on Donkey Welfare and to be held in Afyonkarahisar region of Türkiye (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afyonkarahisar).
In rural areas in Türkiye, working animals are widely used especially for carrying loads, transportation and agricultural production. They also have an important place in the daily lives of producers who are shepherds and have sheep herds. The health of these animals is of great importance not only for their own well-being but also for sustaining the economic benefit that people get from these animals. With regard to proper care, regular veterinary services and welfare of working equids are often ignored. In this study, it has therefore been aimed to examine the health status of working equids carrying loads in Afyonkarahisar.
The volunteers will participate in field visits to local communities and visit three Universities to deliver lectures on donkey welfare to students including those studying at Afyon Kocatepe University. Volunteers will deliver five teaching sessions/lectures to Veterinary Technician students’, topics include handling and restraining techniques, practical aspects of the use of harness, lameness, hoof trimming practices, administering oral fluids, intravenous, intramuscular, epidural injections, basic wound management, first aid during emergencies, basic dental care, skin problems and ectoparasites and working equines nutrition and feeding: what to feed, what to avoid.
This international workshop will include of field trips to four villages in the Afyonkarahisar region, volunteers will share their knowledge with donkey owners and collect data in the community, this will include hoof trimming, advice on skin and parasite control and dental checks.
Knowledge and practical experience of working equid welfare is desirable but not essential. Volunteers need have good teaching/training and communication skills. It would also be helpful for volunteers to be open minded and flexible.
Flights, hotel accommodation at https://www.afbeltermal.com and meals will be provided by host and BEVA Trust.
For health information and entry requirements for Türkiye please read Turkey travel advice - GOV.UK
For more information about volunteering with the BEVA Trust take a look at the volunteering FAQ’s
Contact us if you have any questions about the opportunity. To apply to volunteer for this project please email your CV and covering note. Applications close on 16th November 2025
World Horse Welfare – Cambodia Pony Welfare Organization (CPWO)
Improving imaging skills (radiography and ultrasonography) to benefit equine health in Cambodia.
Date: 9th - 22nd March 2026 (depending on flight times)
Duration: 10 – 14 days
Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
BEVA Trust is looking for 1 - 2 veterinary volunteers to support Cambodia Pony Welfare Organization (CPWO) to increase knowledge and skills with equine radiography and ultrasonography for equine vets working across Cambodia in both rural and urban settings.
Cambodia Pony Welfare Organization (CPWO) was founded to improve the health and welfare of ponies and horses in Cambodia as our primary goal. The objective is to achieve this goal in a sustainable way, ensuring that equine owners have improved equine management practices and are self-reliant, and the competencies of local service providers (farriers, grooms, vets and village vets) and equestrian stakeholders are strengthened.
Volunteers will be expected to provide practical and in the field training sessions on Imaging and diagnostics to the CPWO team and local veterinary practitioners. The team have recently obtained access to portable and x-ray and ultrasound and would like further training on how to use this equipment. The emphasis would be on musculoskeletal imaging, likely focussing on the lower limb and foot as a starting point.
Volunteers need to have a good understanding of working in low resource settings; experience of working in an ambulatory environment and have a particular interest and skills in imaging and diagnostics. Volunteers should also be confident delivering informal sessions to small groups. The project would suit vets or nurses with real-world understanding of how to use diagnostic imaging in the field. We are also looking for volunteers who are happy to provide ongoing support virtually following the trip. This will be discussed with the volunteers to agree the best way to deliver the support.
Accommodation, meals in country travel and flights and will be provided and organised by WHW/BEVA Trust. Accommodation will be provided in a hotel.
For further information, travel advice and entry requirements for Cambodia
For more information about volunteering with the BEVA Trust take a look at the volunteering FAQ’s
Contact us for further information or to register your interest in this opportunity email leaya@beva.org.uk with your CV and cover note. Applications close on 7th December
