Vétérinaires Sans Frontières - Dierenartsen Zonder Grenzen Belgium

What Vétérinaires Sans Frontières - Dierenartsen Zonder Grenzen Belgium does

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières – Dierenartsen Zonder Grenzen Belgium (VSF Belgium) is a Belgian humanitarian non-profit association (asbl/vzw), founded in 1985 and headquartered in Brussels, that supports livestock-keeping families in nine African countries — Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, DR Congo, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, and Uganda. The organization operates on a 'One Health' integrated approach that links animal, human, and environmental health, delivering veterinary care, livestock vaccination campaigns, training of community animal health workers, and agro-ecological livestock-keeping practices to pastoralist and smallholder farming communities. Notable technical components include a Community-Based Epidemio-Surveillance System operational in eastern DRC since 2022, a Transhumance Information System covering Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, and a Community Animal Health Worker curriculum recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). Programs are delivered through two regional offices (Ouagadougou for West Africa, Kigali for the Great Lakes) and a network of approximately 20 local partner organizations.

VSF Belgium is funded entirely through donations and grants, with no commercial revenue. The revenue model consists of six streams: individual donations (one-time, monthly, and online via Koalect and bank transfer), legacy bequests, corporate partnerships, event-based fundraising (e.g., the 20K of Brussels running team), volunteer contributions, and institutional grants including the EU Humanitarian Partnership Certificate and Digital For Development Fund. Donor communications and direct mail fundraising are supported by third-party providers DSC and StudioStraid, while program delivery in the field is executed through local partner organizations such as UCRT in Tanzania and joint programs with Médecins du Monde in Niger and DR Congo. Awareness and donor engagement in Belgium are driven by social media, email newsletters, webinars, documentary films, the 'Perspectives on Pastoralism' Film Festival, and earned media partnerships.

Name

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières - Dierenartsen Zonder Grenzen Belgium

Legal name

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières – Dierenartsen Zonder Grenzen Belgium asbl

Website

https://vsf-belgium.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium is a Brussels-based humanitarian NGO, founded in 1985, that delivers One Health veterinary care, livestock support, and community animal health worker training to pastoralist and farming families across nine African countries, funded entirely by donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Humanitarian and Veterinary Aid Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194), Support Activities for Animal Production (1152)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Livestock & Farm Animal Veterinary Services (AFAEANAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vaccination, Parasite Control & Immunization Programs (AFACADAG), Biosecurity, Disease Control & Outbreak Response (Quarantine, Zoonoses) (AFACADAH), Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD)

Keywords

• Animal health services
• One Health approach
• Livestock support programs
• Humanitarian veterinary aid
• Community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters, facilitated through online portals, bank transfers, QR codes, and monthly giving programs. Tax certificates are issued for donations in Belgium.
2. Legacy Bequests: Donors can include VSF Belgium in their wills, allowing supporters to make posthumous contributions to the organization.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Companies can support VSF Belgium through dedicated giving programs, employee matching, or cause-marketing campaigns. The organization offers a 'Help as a company' engagement pathway.
4. Event-Based Fundraising: Third-party fundraising events organized by supporters (marathons, dog walks, weddings, parties) with personalized communication support from VSF Belgium.
5. Volunteer Contributions: Volunteers contribute time and skills to support VSF Belgium operations, campaigns, and field activities in Belgium and Africa.
6. Institutional Grants: Funding from institutional donors including EU Humanitarian Partnership Certificate, Digital For Development Fund, and other development financing bodies supporting specific programs.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium delivers humanitarian veterinary and livestock-keeping programs in nine African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, DR Congo, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, Uganda), including herd vaccination, training of Community Animal Health Workers, livestock distribution to vulnerable families, and agro-ecological livestock support framed under the One Health approach. In Belgium, it provides awareness campaigns, educational programs, and fundraising services (donations, monthly giving, legacy bequests, corporate partnerships, events).

Product overview

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium is a nonprofit humanitarian organization (NGO) focused on animal health care and livestock farming support across African countries. The organization does not offer commercial products or software; instead, it delivers programs and services including vaccination campaigns, training for community animal health workers, livestock support, and One Health initiatives. Its primary offerings are humanitarian aid programs implemented through local partner organizations in nine African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, DR Congo, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, Uganda), along with awareness campaigns and fundraising initiatives in Belgium.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• One Health Livestock Programs in Africa
• Donation and Monthly Giving Program
• Legacy Bequest Program
• Corporate Partnership Program
• Vaccinate for Africa Campaign
• 20K of Brussels Running Team
• Community Animal Health Worker (CAHW) Curriculum

Quantifiable outcome

• Rinderpest eradicated in Sudan by 2005 (declared free), and globally by 2011, contributing to the first animal disease ever eradicated worldwide.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UCRT (Ujamaa Community Resource Team)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVSF Belgium supports UCRT in Tanzania to assist villages with customary land rights certificates and sustainable land management. The partnership aims to protect at least 300,000 hectares for Maasai pastoralists. UCRT's innovative approach of securing community land rights (rather than individual rights) has protected over 500,000 hectares.
• Médecins du Monde (Doctors of the World)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint implementation of One Health pilot projects: a health risk management program in Niger (2017-2020) reaching 90,000 inhabitants, and a community-based epidemiological surveillance system in eastern DRC since 2022 to fight zoonotic diseases including Ebola.
• Search for Common GroundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the 'One Health in Conflict Zones – The Case of Kivu in the DRC' symposium held in Brussels in December 2025, focusing on how One Health can strengthen resilience in conflict zones.
• Direct Social Communications S.A. (DSC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFundraising and communication campaign service provider for VSF Belgium. DSC organizes fundraising campaigns, manages donor databases, and ensures donor data remains up to date. DSC also facilitates data sharing with other non-profit organizations for joint fundraising campaigns.
• StudioStraid (LNG Communications sprl)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunication and fundraising campaign service provider for a restricted portion of VSF Belgium's donor file, which is the exclusive property of VSF Belgium and not shared with other organizations.
• The Mailing Factory nvminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrinting service provider for VSF Belgium's direct mail campaigns and fundraising materials.
• Vétérinaires Sans Frontières International (VSF International)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVSF Belgium is part of the VSF International network, comprising 11 VSF organizations (mostly European) united to coordinate global efforts in animal health, One Health, and food security. VSF International develops shared policy positions, technical standards, and coordinated advocacy.
• Local Partner Organizations (approximately 20)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVSF Belgium works with approximately 20 local partner organizations across Africa including MADEFO in Uganda, UCRT in Tanzania, and various government and NGO partners in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Benin, Mauritania, Rwanda, Burundi, and DR Congo. These partners deliver programs and build local capacity.
• World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWOAH recognized VSF Belgium's expertise by asking the organization to develop the global curriculum for Community Animal Health Workers, validating its role as a reference center for animal health training.
• Lyon Vétérinaires Sans FrontièresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe French counterpart organization that served as a source of inspiration when VSF Belgium was founded in 1985. Lyon VSF had itself been established two years earlier.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SPANA (Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad): International animal welfare charity providing veterinary care and training to working animals in low-income communities. Closely comparable operating model: veterinary service delivery, training of local animal health workers, and donor-funded programs in Africa and beyond.
• Heifer International: Major non-profit working on livestock-based livelihoods in developing countries, including animal distribution, veterinary support, and training. Highly comparable in mission around livestock as a pathway out of poverty for rural families.
• Farm Africa: UK-based NGO working with farmers and pastoralists in eastern Africa on livestock, agriculture, and market access. Comparable in geographic focus, smallholder-livestock targeting, and donor-funded program model.
• Vétérinaires Sans Frontières International: Umbrella network of 11 European Vétérinaires Sans Frontières organizations of which VSF Belgium is a member. Most direct peer because it coordinates shared One Health policy, technical standards, and advocacy across the same veterinary humanitarian mission.
• The Donkey Sanctuary: International animal welfare charity delivering veterinary services, training, and community programs for working equids in developing countries. Comparable in community-veterinary, training-focused, and donor-funded operating model.
• Lyon Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (VSF France): French counterpart founded in 1983 that directly inspired VSF Belgium in 1985. Operates the same One Health, livestock-support, and community animal health worker model in West and East Africa, making it the closest mission-aligned peer.
• Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Suisse (VSF-Suisse): Swiss member of the VSF International network providing veterinary and livestock support in East and West Africa. Sister organization operating the same community animal health and One Health model, with overlapping geographic presence in the Sahel and Great Lakes.

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Corps: Large global humanitarian organization operating across food security, livestock, and emergency response in many of the same African countries. Less specialized in One Health and veterinary delivery but competes for similar institutional donor funding.
• Four Paws International: Major global animal welfare organization with broad portfolio including farm animals, companion animals, and wildlife. Comparable as a non-profit donor-funded animal welfare organization but much larger and broader in scope.

Others

• World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH): Intergovernmental animal health standard-setter that has recognized VSF Belgium as a curriculum developer. Listed as an ecosystem partner rather than a peer because it is a policy and standards body, not a service-delivery NGO, but it is the most strategically relevant institutional relationship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/veterinairessansfrontieres
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/v-t-rinaires-sans-fronti-res---belgium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Vétérinaires Sans Frontières - Dierenartsen Zonder Grenzen Belgium