Apopo

APOPO is a nonprofit organization that trains HeroRATs to detect (sniff out) landmines and Tuberculosis (TB).  With its headquarters in Tanzania and US office in Santa Clara, APOPO has programs in Mozambique, Thailand, Angola, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos.  We invite you to support the HeroRATs in their global fight against landmines and tuberculosis!

Up to 20,000 people are killed by landmines every year. They are indiscriminate weapons that injure and kill civilians in every corner of the globe, every day.  They instill fear in communities and are a lethal barrier to development.  The HeroRATs and their human colleagues have cleared over 80 million square feet of landmine-affected land in Mozambique and destroyed over 3,000 landmines.  This land is now being used by local communities for agriculture, access to water, building clinics, and economic development!  

Tuberculosis kills over one million people ever year, the majority in developing countries.  The terrible disease spreads easily and accelerates poverty.  The HeroRATs found more than 5,500 TB-positive patients that were initially misdiagnosed by local hospitals in Tanzania and Mozambique.  These patients can now receive treatment and be cured of this horrible disease.  Because one patient can spread TB to 10 others, the HeroRATs have potentially prevented the spread of TB to over 55,000 people!  

No need to worry about the HeroRATs, they are in no danger since they are too light to set off the landmines and we deactivate the tuberculosis samples before presenting to the rats.  Animal welfare is a top priority at APOPO and we make sure to pamper our rats so they can save lives!  

Remaining true to its core values of innovation, social transformation, quality, and diversity, APOPO has 99% of its workforce in developing countries and 95% are hired from local communities.  This significantly contributes to the economic development of the areas where APOPO maintains operations.  

With your support, we are helping to rid the world of these terrible weapons of war and prevent the spread of a dreadful disease, one sniff at a time! Together, we are saving lives and limbs.  

APOPO's 501(c)3 registered sponsor in the United States is the King Baudouin Foundation US, Inc.  They will forward all donations to APOPO, which will be put to good use training HeroRATs to save lives!