MARES Zimbabwe

The MARES Story: Why We’re Asking For Your Help

The Problem
In rural Matabeleland, a donkey isn’t a pet. It’s survival. Donkeys plough fields, fetch water, and carry families to clinics. But drought, poverty, and lack of education mean thousands suffer in silence — collapsed from hunger, crippled by wire harnesses, abandoned when they can’t work. When a donkey falls, a family falls too. And with no formal animal welfare services in most rural areas, there was no one to call. Until MARES.

Who We Are
Founded over 20 years ago by Claire Einhorn, MARES started with one rescued donkey and one woman’s refusal to look away. Today, we’re a lifeline. Claire performs surgeries herself and leads a dedicated team of staff and volunteers who rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome. But we don’t stop at rescue.We go into communities. We teach humane harness-making to replace wires that cut to the bone. We run drought feeding programs using sustainable moringa. We hold animal law workshops so communities know their rights and responsi...