The James Ashe Antivenom Trust - JAAT

1. J.A.A.T.
TEN YEARS ON.
The James Ashe AntivenomTrust
25th October 2014 - By Royjan Taylor
Bio-Ken Snake Farm, Watamu

2. J.A.A.T.IS ALL ABOUT SAVING
LIFE AND LIMB FROM SNAKEBITE
• To be bitten by a
poisonous snake is
everyone’s worst
nightmare.
• Here in Africa this
happens to people
quite regularly
especially to those in
the rural
communities.

3. The primary objective of the James Ashe Antivenom Trust(JAAT)
is to reduce the number of deaths and maiming caused by those
many snake snakebites.

4. SOME HISTORY
How it all began!
• James Ashe and his wife
Sanda started Bio-Ken in
Watamu in 1980.
• Bio-Ken Snake Farm was
working more and more
with poisonous snakes.
• Obviously they stocked
their own antivenom in
case of a handling
accident.

5. Snakebite cases arrived for help that
couldn’t be turned away so they were
helped with antivenom if needed.

6. Poorest worst hit! Word spread fast
through the local communities. More and
more came for help.
• But then! who should
pay for this treatment?
• Antivenom was, and
still is, expensive and
hard to come by.
• James and Sanda
could not afford to
cover these extra costs

7. The WatamuAntivenom Fund
(W.A.F.) was born.
• Cash collected from a
harambeeat local pub. This cash
was kept in an ice-cream
container.
• The hotels in Watamu supported
the initiative.
• Cash given to visitor going to SA
for antivenom purchase and
brought back.
• Dr. Erulu was the Doctor on the
ground who actually treated the
patients.
• We were very quickly
overwhelmed by snakebite. We
had to think bigger.

8. It was suggested that a proper registered
trust be formed to replace the W.A.F.
• to attract more substantial donations.
• set up a bank account for safe
keeping of funds.
• to be and remain transparent for the
revenue authorities and donors.
• to fight for good qualityantivenom
and it’s availability.
• We were then joined by Melinda Rees
and ShafiqEbrahimjee of Watamu and
Professor David Warrel of Oxford
University, and together we made up
the five trustees.

9. That is when JAAT finally got it’s
name
• It was agreed by the five
Trustees in mid-2004
that it should be named
after the man who
started it all. Our great
friend Jim.
• THE JAMES ASHE
ANTIVENOM TRUSTor
simply JAAT.

10. James Ashe 1925 - 2004
• Sadly Jim died at the end
of September 2004.
• The Trust was officially
launched by us on the 1st
of October 2004 during
the Fourth Bio-Ken
International Snakebite
Seminar at
HemingwaysResort in
Watamu.

11. and so, the work goes on…
• Since the formation of
the trust (JAAT), it has
gained a huge amount
of recognition.
• It now holds a
reasonable stock of
antivenom and has so
far managed to
sustain itself locally.
• But we need more
funding.

12. Dama’s case – How it should be.

13. From Kathama – 60km from here
towards Sala gate – Tsavo East NP.

14. So!
What is the
answer?

15. EDUCATION
At all levels
• From the children in the
schools & villages.
• To the senior Doctors
and medics at the
Hospitals.

16. Some of the education leaflets
produced by Sanda for JAAT

17. Education – within Watamu.

18. Education – getting out there.

19. Education - children in the village.

20. Education - Training Doctors.

21. Education - Training with BIG TV.

22. Education - More BIG TV.

23. Education – and also on LOCAL TV.

24. The WatamuAntivenom
Triathlon.

25. Education – on the web, we are now DOT
COMwww.antivenomtrust.com

26. FINALLY! What do we do
with your money?
ALL DONATIONS GO TO
THE DIRECT PURCHASE OF ANTIVENOM
OR
TO THE EDUCATION OF PEOPLE, DOCTORS
AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL
ON
THE CORRECT TREATMENT AND
MANAGEMENT OF SNAKEBITE.

27. And with that we have noticed a
drop in donations and sponsorship.
• We still hold good
quantities of grade
“A” antivenom for
now.
• Looking at the
trend. We are
running out of
money to replenish
this stock.
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
WAF 2006 2010 2014
AV-VIALS
CASH
EQUIV

28. JAAT now really needs some
decent funding. Any ideas?

29. A wise old man once told me.
• “Antivenom is like
the Texan's gun.
You don’t need it
often but when
you do……you
need it real bad!”
James Ashe

30. Contact us
• THE JAMES ASHE ANTIVENOM TRUST – (JAAT )
• H.Q. & A.V. AT BIO-KEN SNAKE FARM,
WATAMU, KENYA
• P.O. BOX 3, WATAMU, KENYA. (P/Code 80202)
• TEL : + 254 42 2332303 OR + 254 718 290324
OR + 254 735 587338
• EMAIL: sanda@bio-ken.com (SANDA)
OR: snakes@bio-ken.com (ROYJAN)
• WEB :
www.antivenomtrust.com

31. Thank you!