The Trade in Donkeys

In recent years, there’s been a huge, rising demand for donkey hides in China, where they are used to make an ancient health-related product called ejiao.

Ejiao is made from collagen that’s been extracted from donkey hides. It’s the essential ingredient in products such as powders and chewable snacks which are used for health or beauty purposes. The huge demand for ejiao has led to a massive shortage of donkeys in China, and a massive increase in the poaching and theft of donkeys in Africa and other parts of the world.

Donkeys are essential to the livelihoods of many people in rural communities in Africa. They are used for transport, ploughing, and as a source of income. The theft of donkeys has a devastating impact on these communities. The donkeys are often stolen, transported in horrific conditions, and slaughtered in unregulated and often illegal slaughterhouses.

The Global Youth Systems Engineering of the Year (GYSEOY) Challenge for 2024 is to design a system to address the illegal trade in donkeys, and the impact it has on rural communities.