noun [im-pakt]; verb [im-pakt]
influence; effect: the impact of Brooke on the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules, and the people they serve.
Brooke knows that the true measure of its effectiveness is how well it performs its mission. When looking at impact, there are two critical buckets to consider: the what and the how.
What is Brooke trying to change in the world?
How is Brooke doing it?
How is Brooke measuring that change?
To measure the impact of Brooke’s work, the organization uses an approach called the Effectiveness Framework. This looks at all work aspects in order to determine organizational effectiveness and mission delivery. For example, Brooke monitors service provision, community engagement and advocacy programs to ascertain their individual or combined effect on the animals served.
Brooke works towards eight outcomes of sustainable change:
Quality healthcare for working equines
Use and uptake of healthcare services on equines
Sustainable healthcare services for equines
Behavior change of owners, users and caregivers
Social change within the wider community
Change in engagement and priority of equine welfare
Change in policy, legislation and practice as it relates to equines
Strengthened alliances and support for equine welfare
IMPACT INSTRUMENTS
Evidence-Based Tools
Brooke uses proven techniques to collect and analyze data. With animals, this involves examining and recording information from groups of animals using Brooke’s own welfare assessment tool. Brooke repeats this after a period of time in the same location to see what changes have occurred. Brooke also collects information from owners and communities, service providers and policy makers with whom the organization works.
Case Studies
Brooke collects descriptions, photos and stories of success about the animals and people involved, to learn its field experiences.
Impact matters to the volunteers, donors and foundations that invest their time and money. Impact allows them to turn their beliefs into action.
Reflections
Through the looking glass: a trip to Nairobi, Kenya
When longtime Brooke USA supporter Ligeia Polidora traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, she expected to learn more about the organization she had generously supported for years. What she experienced instead was a deeply moving look at the lives of working donkeys and the young people whose livelihoods depend on them. During her visit with the Brooke East Africa team, Ligeia met groups of donkey cart drivers who gather each day hoping to be hired to transport goods through the busy streets of Nairobi. Many of these young men and women come from extremely difficult backgrounds, but through Brooke-supported programs and partnerships with local organizations, they are gaining access to education, life-skills training, and practical knowledge about proper animal care.
One of the most powerful moments of Ligeia’s visit came as several young donkey owners shared their personal stories — candidly describing past struggles with poverty, addiction, and mistreatment of their animals, but also speaking with pride about the transformation they experienced through their involvement with the program. Their stories illustrated the profound ripple effect of Brooke’s work: when working equines receive proper care, entire communities benefit.
Ligeia also gained insight into the broader challenges facing working equines in Kenya, including the devastating impact of the donkey skin trade driven by demand for ejiao. For many families — particularly women in rural areas — donkeys are essential for transporting water, firewood, crops, and goods that sustain their households and livelihoods. Protecting these animals is therefore inseparable from protecting the economic security of vulnerable communities.
In her reflections, Ligeia shares how meeting the donkeys, their owners, and the dedicated Brooke East Africa team brought Brooke USA’s mission to life in a powerful way. Her story offers a heartfelt perspective on the importance of the work supporters make possible — and the hope that continued compassion and partnership can create a better future for both working equines and the people who rely on them.
