Brooke USA Ambassador Visits Nonprofit’s Project In Guatemala
Story by Sarah Harper
Photos courtesy Enrique Urdaneta Photography
At the heart of Nic Roldan’s life as a professional polo player is his love of horses. While his polo ponies live in equine luxury, Roldan is acutely aware that many horses, donkeys and mules around the world do not share such a comfortable existence.
This dichotomy is what compelled him last year to become an ambassador for Brooke USA, the American fundraising arm of Brooke, the largest international equine welfare organization dedicated to improving the lives of working equines in the poorest countries of the world, and the communities that depend on them.
Since joining Brooke USA as an ambassador, Roldan has worked to raise money and awareness about the plight of working equines around the world. Last March, he hosted Nic Roldan’s Sunset Polo & White Party, which raised more than $140,000 for Brooke USA, and the annual event will return on March 24, 2017 at the Wanderers Club in Wellington.
In September, the Wellington resident traveled to Guatemala to experience firsthand Brooke’s commitment to improving the lives of working equines. Roldan spent seven days in Guatemala visiting communities in the Zacapa and Quiche regions, seeing for himself the work that Brooke Guatemala/ESAP is conducting.
“I was blown away by the number of people who rely on their donkeys to carry their essentials, such as wood, water and other goods,” Roldan said. “It was an emotional experience to see how these people live, how proud they are and how enthused they are to learn. It was truly inspirational. It was amazing to see where the funds that Brooke USA raises are being used.”
Most of Guatemala’s large working equine population is used for transporting agricultural products, namely produce and firewood. Reaching working horses, donkeys and mules, and their owners and users, is problematic in much of Guatemala due to the mountainous terrain and remote communities. The geography makes it difficult for animals to receive the necessary healthcare to continue their jobs providing a livelihood for their impoverished owners.
Roldan’s first stop was the mountainous region of Zacapa, located seven hours from the capital of Guatemala City. The team visited two project communities, where a team from Brooke was providing an educational program to local residents on parasites, as well as hands-on practical lessons in equine welfare.
The highland areas of Zacapa are prone to drought. Roldan saw one of the ongoing efforts put in place by Brooke to combat this issue. Brooke provided bags of drought-tolerant grass seed for owners to grow forage for their working equines, even when drought conditions would not normally allow grass to grow. This is just one example of the ways in which Brooke adapts its programs to fit the needs of a specific community.
During a visit to a small mountain community, Roldan got an idea of how difficult the lives of Guatemala’s working equines can be. This community had no local water supply. Donkeys are used to walk down to the river to get water and haul it back. Roldan and Brooke USA’s team completed the hike themselves to experience a day in the life of a donkey.
“We went to visit a man who has three mules he uses to fetch wood,” Roldan recalled. “He was having trouble with one of them, so the Brooke team was helping by teaching him how to handle his mule correctly so that it could be a more useful asset. It’s great to see how they take the time to explain how to handle these working equines correctly.”
Roldan and the Brooke USA team also spent time in Quiche, a community where Brooke has had a long-term presence. This area, roughly five hours northwest of the capital, has a lush alpine landscape and a high level of poverty. In this area, working animals suffer due to poor hoof condition, lameness, high tick infestation and wounds. They met a local man, Don Roberto, who was taught to shoe the working equines of the local community by Brooke.
“Don Roberto remodeled a common pair of pliers into hoof clippers,” Roldan said. “It was great to see the work he did, and how amazing all of Brooke’s field staff are — caring, welcoming, professional. I’m very proud to be a part of this organization.”
Brooke places a great deal of emphasis on the importance of education and how it can positively affect the welfare of the animals and the livelihoods of the owners in an entire community. Brooke’s work has an intense ripple effect, helping not only working equines, but the families who depend on them and the community as a whole.
For Roldan, the trip brought home the importance of the work that Brooke does for working equines around the world and continues to motivate him as he works as a Brooke USA ambassador to raise money and awareness.
To learn more about Brooke USA, visit www.brookeusa.org.
