
1500 children die of rabies every year in Tanzania, bitten by infected dogs. Our Four Steps approach protects both animals and children.

Animals suffer every day in Tanzania from cruelty, neglect and disease. Help us give them the love and care they deserve.
We’ve founded a Veterinary Centre of Excellence in the Arusha Region of Tanzania. We need your help to equip it and save more lives.

1500 children die of rabies every year in Tanzania, bitten by infected dogs. Our Four Steps approach protects both animals and children.

Animals suffer every day in Tanzania from cruelty, neglect and disease. Help us give them the love and care they deserve.
Fighting rabies, saving lives
6,686
Dogs Vaccinated
438
Dogs Sterilized
50
Animals Sheltered
6
Communities Protected
Four Steps to Freedom in numbers: since 2015 we have been rescuing animals and saving lives in the Meru region of Tanzania.
With your help, we can save more lives sooner.

Run entirely by volunteers and funded entirely by donations, we are a small, Scotland-based charity, saving lives in Tanzania since 2015.
Helping animals every day: our team of grant-funded and volunteer vets care for suffering animals in Tanzania, from our base at Mbwa wa Africa: the Arusha Region’s only registered animal shelter.
Securing a safer future for animals and humans: canine-transmitted rabies kills 1500 children every year in Tanzania, creating fear, hatred and violence towards animals. Our vaccination and education campaigns save lives by paving the way to a rabies-free future.
Together, we can make a bigger difference: read our supporters’ stories
“I recently had the privilege of travelling to Tanzania to participate in a sterilisation campaign working alongside Mbwa Wa Africa … I saw at first-hand the wonderful impact Four Steps to Freedom have had.”
“Taking part in the neutering program in Tanzania was an incredibly rewarding experience. The work being done at the shelter is truly remarkable.”
“I have seen the premises develop significantly with the financial input provided by Four Steps to Freedom … it will be wonderful to see this project reach its goal of becoming a centre of veterinary excellence for the region.”
“As a volunteering vet, it is a privilege to get to see at first hand what our donations to Four Steps to Freedom have provided - every penny improving the clinic facilities and the welfare of Tanzanian dogs and children.”
“The Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust is proud to support Four Steps to Freedom by funding a full-time veterinarian's salary … Trustees have been greatly impressed by the significant and positive contributions this small organisation is making.”
“The work performed makes an enormous positive difference to the lives of both the local population and their pets for which they show much gratitude.”
“I started at Mbwa Wa Africa as the first volunteer Vet nurse assisting to open the vet clinic back in 2021 which was funded by the incredible team at Four Steps to Freedom.”
“Every single penny you donate to Four Steps to Freedom will go directly to the animals that badly need our help and support.”
“Be it through their shelter, their sterilisation clinics, rabies vaccination drives, TVT treatments and educational activities in the schools, they are making a significant difference.”
“I’ve worked with a few animal welfare charities, but Mbwa Wa Africa Animal Rescue is special. I first met Jens and Sandra in 2018, and from the first visit they treated me like family. The clinical standards are high, and the charity is undoubtedly improving animal welfare in Tanzania.”
“If you are considering volunteering at Mbwa Wa Africa Animal Rescue - DO IT, and take some colleagues with you!”
"The excellent collaboration with Mbwa Wa Africa Animal Rescue has enabled us to reach even more communities at risk from rabies and protect them from this horrible disease.”
“The small scale of Four Steps to Freedom is one of its biggest strengths. The charity is run by a small and trusted team of volunteers who work hard to ensure funds are spent doing the most good possible.”
“The passion and effort they put into their work is just incredible, and this is reflected in the love and care every animal in the shelter experiences.”
“During my time there, I learned so much about animal care and medical treatment, but it was the people I got to know that made these months the best time of my life.”
“Such warm-hearted people who give their heart and soul for the well-being of the dogs and cats, and who go above and beyond, so that as many animals as possible can survive and thrive.”
““I came to Mbwa Wa Africa Animal Rescue as a volunteer and left with unforgettable memories, a beloved, new, furry life-companion, and the burning wish to return as soon as possible.”
“I can only recommend this project to everyone who loves dogs and cats and is looking for an ethical, sustainable volunteering opportunity in Tanzania.”
“I was welcomed straight away and felt immediately at home thanks to the relaxed and friendly atmosphere.”
“Throughout my time in Tanzania, I was increasingly impressed with Jens’s passion and dedication for the welfare of animals in Arusha and his focus on educating the community on respectful and responsible dog and cat ownership.”
Four steps to one goal:
Through our sustainable, four-step approach, we are breaking the chain of rabies infection in Tanzania for good.
“I just knew I had to do something”
Our story began in 2015 when our founder, Phyllis, witnessed the tragic impacts of rabies at first hand.
Get involved with our lifesaving work
Sponsor an animal; donate equipment; play our lottery or volunteer: there are many ways you can support our work!