WAG needs wheels!

We have some great news - WAG has wheels!

Thank you for donating to our micro-project fundraiser launched last December. We had a huge response both during the Giving Tuesday campaign and for the following three months while the micro-project fundraiser was open.

As a result of our call for support to purchase a vehicle for WAG, one of our long-time supporters reached out to us with a generous offer. They wanted to donate their car to WAG in May 2025, when they were leaving Rwanda to return to the US.

This was a huge opportunity for us, since it is a much more sustainable option long-term for us to have a car rather than a tricycle. A car can access harder-to-reach places when rescuing dogs, which a tricycle may have struggled with, and it can be used in all weathers, whereas the tricycle would not have been practical during very heavy rainstorms. It also meant that we could cover costs for the vehicle paperwork, fuel, and ongoing maintenance over a longer period of time, ensuring longer-term sustainability.

So, thanks to their generosity, we have just received the car, with brand new license plates in WAG’s name!

This feels like such a huge milestone for us as an organisation. The money we have raised from the WAG Needs Wheels micro-project fundraiser will continue to go towards the ongoing costs associated with the car. So far, these have included:

• The license plate change fees as required by the Rwanda Revenue Authority
• Getting a new control technique certificate (annual motor vehicle inspection, required for all cars in Rwanda)

We have just passed the control technique (annual vehicle inspection) and we have been advised to repaint the car and replace the front tires. Thanks to your support, we have these costs covered, as well as the following costs for the next year:

• Getting WAG logo stickers made for the car
• Annual vehicle insurance, due in July 2025
• Annual control technique certificate, due in May 2026
• Monthly diesel costs, which is estimated to be around 80,000 - 100,000 RWF per month but may increase if diesel prices continue to go up
• Ongoing maintenance costs, including routine services and oil changes, and additional emergency costs should anything need fixing. We are putting aside 60,000 RWF per month for maintenance and emergency fix costs

We are so incredibly grateful for everyone’s support on this fundraiser. Thanks to you, we have costs covered for our new WAG car’s fuel, maintenance and paperwork for the next year at least. Your support will make a lasting impact on the efficiency of our organisation, ability to respond to emergencies and flexibility in taking rescued dogs to the shelter and to veterinary appointments in town, picking up donations around Kigali, and buying the regular supplies we need such as dog food and rice.

If you see the WAG car out on the streets of Kigali, please give us a wave! You’ll recognise our logo on the car and we’ll always be happy to stop and say hi to our supporters when we’re out and about on WAG missions!