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Voices for Animal Welfare (VfAW)

2.0 / 5Overall Rating
1Review
3Programs
2024Year established

About Voices for Animal Welfare (VfAW)

Voices for Animal Welfare (VfAW) is an international NGO dedicated to protecting, defending, and elevating the status of animals. Founded by Vanessa Vichi, VfAW was born from a commitment to bridge Europe and Africa, connecting continents, cultures, and communities to advance animal welfare with respect, empathy, and compassion.

We pursue a multi-faceted approach that includes legal advocacy, animal-welfare education, ethical animal photography, and veterinary training. By fostering a culture of empathy and shared responsibility, we empower youth and communities to take meaningful action and create lasting change for animals and the people who live alongside them.

Our Mission
We are committed to advancing animal welfare through a multi-faceted approach that includes legal advocacy, animal welfare education, animal photography and veterinary. By fostering a culture of empathy and responsibility, we aim to create lasting change that benefits both animals and humans.

Our Vision
Our actions are driven by compassion, respect, integrity, and a determined commitment to making a difference in the lives of animals that depend on us.

Why VfAW?
VfAW stands out as a unique organization because it not only focuses on animal welfare but also emphasizes creating human connections between Europe and Africa. By fostering collaboration across cultures and continents, we aim to create a united approach to tackling animal welfare issues.

Voices for Animal Welfare (VfAW) Reviews

Hear what past participants have to say about Voices for Animal Welfare (VfAW)

2.0
1 review

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Top categories

Program Administration
2.0
Living Situation
2.0
Community Engagement
2.0
Day to Day Life
2.0
Volunteer Placement
1.0
Health & Safety
1.0

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Showing 1 of 1 review

Alejandro Pérez RiquelmeSpain · May 2026
From: Veterinarian / Animal Health Expert Traveling Volunteer

Avoid this NGO at all cost and save yourself a big disappointment

I recently traveled to Tanzania to participate in a volunteer project with this NGO on animal welfare for a period of 3 months. It is a very recent NGO, with only one year of existence, so I had practically no references to inform me about its work. At first everything seemed fine; we had some online briefing prior to the project and were provided with basic logistical support. In the project we were 4 people: the person responsible for the organization, a photographer, an educator and myself, who was as scientific advisor. Although during the first month everything seemed to be going relatively well, unfortunately everything inevitably fell apart when a major problem was revealed: the person responsible, an Italian woman by the name "V.V.", is a terribly disturbed and potentially dangerous person. Although I could write a very long story about what happened, I will simply say that because of her abusive, authoritarian and despotic nature, this woman made us feel very uncomfortable for many moments when we lived with her. Because this attitude was also manifested with local people involved in the projects, this caused the project to get stuck, being very difficult to deal with her, which put us volunteers in a bind. Giving this awkward situation, the 3 of us decided to leave the organization after having an online meeting with the volunteer coordinator to explain the issue. It’s a shame because I think that with someone else in charge this NGO could have a rather positive impact on the region where it works. However, I think that this organization is doomed to failure as long as such an emotionally unstable and reprehensible person remains at the forefront. Don’t waste your time, your volunteer efforts are very valuable, so look for organizations that have a real impact and whose main goal is to bring a benefit to society, and not satisfy the ego and impose the biased vision of someone with mental issues.

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