(Bahir Dar, Ethiopia – 21 January, 2026) - Bahir Dar University’s School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) and Brooke Ethiopia reached a new milestone in their collaborative journey during a high-level second-quarter consultative meeting. Facilitated by Dr. Manendante Mulugeta, Director of External Relations and Partnerships, the session focused on reviewing progress under the Sustainability Memorandum of Understanding (April 2025 – March 2026).
The meeting, attended by BDU’s top management, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Prof. Essey Kebede, and Vice President for Information and Strategic Communication, Dr. Zewdu Emiru, highlighted a series of transformative achievements presented by Dr. Musie H/Melekot.

The partnership has successfully moved from vision to reality, recording significant progress in veterinary education and infrastructure through several key strategic milestones. A cornerstone of this progress is the creation of a conducive learning environment, featuring a fully functional Clinical Skills Laboratory (CSL) equipped with 25 dedicated skill stations to provide essential hands-on training for undergraduate students. This technical advancement is paired with a deep commitment to compassionate care, as the Animal Health Mentoring Framework Tool (AHMFT) has been strengthened to promote humane animal handling techniques across the institution.

Furthermore, infrastructure development has reached a major turning point with the full completion and equipping of the Animal Welfare and Health Training Centre (AWHTC). This facility supports an innovative pedagogy where new training approaches are being introduced, including student skills competitions and the formal integration of the CSL framework into the curriculum. Beyond the classroom, the partnership is extending its reach into community support, with a proposal currently under review to establish a community veterinary pharmacy designed to deliver essential veterinary medicines (EVM) to the region.

A major highlight of the session was a presentation by Dr. Gebeyehu Dillnessaw Ayele, Brooke’s Project Lead at BDU. He unveiled a visionary initiative to establish a state-of-the-art equine shelter in Bahir Dar City and showed the 3D plan for the “Brooke Horse City and Amusement Park Project”. This project reinforces the partners' shared commitment to equine welfare and creating a sustainable, positive impact on the local community.

As the meeting concluded, SVM-BDU reaffirmed its dedication to evolving this collaboration into a long-term strategic partnership. The ultimate goal is the establishment of a Center of Excellence in Animal Welfare and Compassionate Handling at Bahir Dar University.

Dr. Yeshwas Ferede, Dean of the SVM, and the university leadership expressed their sincere appreciation to Brooke Ethiopia for their continued leadership and dedication to strengthening veterinary education and community development in the region, and to the Bahir Dar City Administration for its generous land allocation.
 

By: Dr. Dagmawi Yitbarek, SVM Website Administrator