Thursday, 17th July 2025, 4:00 pm (German & South African time). Zoom-Event in English.

German summary: In dieser Zoom-Veranstaltung geht es um den One Health-Ansatz und seine praktische Umsetzung in Äthiopien. Seminarsprache ist Englisch.

The One Health approach is based on the close interconnection between human, animal and, environmental health. It promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly between human medicine, veterinary medicine and environmental sciences, with the aim of protecting health in a holistic way, strengthening resilience, and building sustainable health systems for people, animals and nature. The approach focuses on solutions in the face of growing global challenges such as pandemics, environmental degradation, and climate change.

But what does this mean in practice for (church-based) development cooperation? And how can One Health be seen as an expression of our responsibility to care for God’s creation?

This online seminar explores these questions through experiences from Ethiopia. Gabriele De Bona, Secretary for Ecumenical Relations in Ethiopia at ELM, has invited two guest speakers to present their perspectives on the practical implementation of the One Health approach. Following their inputs, participants are invited to engage in discussion, ask questions, and explore the prospects, challenges, and theological dimensions of this holistic approach within church-based development work.

Mascha Kaddori from Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Germany (VSFG) is an intensive care nurse and veterinarian from Berlin with experience in human and veterinary medicine. International exchanges have taken her to Palestine and Japan, among other places. She works as an Advisor for One Health & Program at VSFG. She also hosts the DareToCare Animal Welfare podcast on a voluntary basis. She will introduce the topic of One Health and provide practical insights based on projects in Ethiopia (Borana region). This will include issues of water and hygiene supply - for example through separate water points for humans and livestock, as well as the relevance of keeping donkeys healthy as an important factor for water transport and income security.

Abebe Wachiso will then give an overview of the tasks and activities of the EECMY DASSC in general and with regard to One Health. He will also highlight the contents of the Global Health Security Agenda* (GHSA). He holds a Master of Public Health in General Public Health and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Universities of Haramaya and Hawassa in Ethiopia. Abebe Wachiso has been working as a Health and Nutrition Officer at EECMY-DASSC since 2018.

*The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) is a group of more than 70 countries, international organizations and non-government organizations, and private sector companies that have come together to achieve the vision of a world safe and secure from global health threats posed by infectious diseases.

We look forward to receiving your registration by 15 July.