Empowering Spanish speaking rabies champions!

25 Jun 2023

With thousands of people having graduated the free courses on the GARC Education Platform, communities around the world are benefitting from the vital information provided. But to reach more communities around the world, especially those where English or French is not widely spoken, the GEP courses are now being systematically translated and released in Spanish and Portuguese.

With the Spanish version of the Rabies Educator Certificate (REC) already available on the education platform, the first step towards broadening the reach of the GEP was to make two of the follow-up courses available in Spanish. That’s right, the Animal Handling and Vaccination Certificate (AVC) and the Community Coordinator for Rabies Certificate (CCC) are now freely available online in Spanish!

Community Coordinator for Rabies Certificate (CCC) course

Wound care poster by GARC in Spanish

Certified rabies educators can now use the Spanish version of the CCC coursework to gain valuable skills that will enable them to support communities by learning how to effectively:

  • Build relationships with community’s authority figures so that rabies activities can be effective and impactful.
  • Assist with the planning and implementation of dog vaccination events at the community-level.
  • Correctly advise community members that have been exposed to animals on adequate post-exposure treatment that will be required.
  • Advocate for proper waste management to reduce free-roaming dogs.

Along with the coursework, downloadable learning aids will help CCC graduates master key pieces of information that is captured in the coursework.

Animal Handling and Vaccination Certificate (AVC) course

Traffic light analogy for dog behaviour, GARC. Spanish

Spanish speaking professionals involved in dog vaccination campaigns can use the knowledge learned through the AVC coursework and accompanying learning aids to contribute to the elimination of rabies safely and humanely by learning about the following:

  • Interpreting animal behavior and using the knowledge to safely approach and handle dogs and cats.
  • Correctly using different types of animal handling equipment.
  • Effectively administering rabies vaccine.
  • The different types of vaccination campaigns.

The AVC coursework uses images and explanatory text to further explain important principles so that graduates can understand and apply what they have learned.

Way forward for the new versions of the courses

These additions to the education platform are just the beginning. Not only will more Spanish courses be available online soon, but Portuguese versions of all the courses will also be made available, so watch this space!

Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to become a catalyst for change. Enroll in the Spanish CCC and AVC courses today and embark on a journey that will transform lives, one community at a time.

Join us in the fight against rabies. Together, we can make a difference. Enroll now and let's create a future where rabies is a distant memory.

Article contributed by Dr Andre Coetzer (Technical Director, GARC)