We are rescuing cows by lifting them up, above the flood waters.

Problem

In 2015, Myanmar was hit with its worst flooding in decades. In the Ayeyarwady region, many homes are built on stilts, so people were somewhat prepared.

The cows they used for farming, though, were not. For weeks, these cows stood in floodwater, vulnerable to skin infections and potentially fatal diseases.

Solution

When IFAW arrived on the ground to provide emergency veterinary care, we realised something: the same elevation that saved people could save cows.

We worked with local communities and came up with the design for a safeland, or raised earthen platform where cows could seek refuge from the water. Then, we helped buy and donate the land, build the platform, and improve its design over the course of a year.

Four different communities implement the Safelands Project today.