Program Dharma: Community Disaster Preparedness - Indonesia
disease prevention is disaster preparedness
Program Dharma brings experts and leaders together to help community members keep their pets healthy to prevent the spread of disease after natural disasters.
Problem
Indonesia is an epicenter for natural disasters. Volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, and landslides. When disaster strikes, disease can spread all too quickly—especially among the local dogs, many of whom aren’t vaccinated against lethal viruses like rabies.
Solution
Through training provided by Program Dharma’s team of vets, government officials, and university students, our team helps community leaders teach their neighbors how to properly care for their pets.
With our assistance, they organize community clinics and vaccination events.
In Program Dharma villages, dogs are healthier and stay home instead of roaming the streets. Owners spread the message that healthy dogs means healthy communities.
One Bali village we partnered with even passed Indonesia’s first law explicitly banning dog meat—just one of the positive, indirect effects of our work on the ground.
every problem has a solution, every solution needs support.
The problems we face are urgent, complicated, and resistant to change. Real solutions demand creativity, hard work, and involvement from people like you.