Woman, donkey and horse in Eqypt

Julie Cordua helps Egypt’s tourist horses

Written by: Mie Tomzak

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Published on

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Time to read 2 min

From tourist to advocate

As a trained veterinary nurse, Julie Cordua has always had a deep love for animals. So when she travelled to Egypt and witnessed the harsh reality faced by the tourist horses at the pyramids of Giza, she couldn’t turn a blind eye.


“I visited Egypt in 2023, and I was deeply shocked by how the horses around the pyramids were treated. Many were limping, others were bleeding and malnourished,” Julie Cordua explains.


This experience led Julie to volunteer at the Good Karma Sanctuary veterinary clinic in Cairo, which she supplies with donations from Denmark. Julie contacted Unamari, which has supported the cause by donating horse equipment.

A clinic with its heart in the right place

Good Karma Sanctuary is a 24-hour veterinary clinic founded by Dutch veterinarian Tegan Joke Vanderpost. The clinic provides free help to the working animals at the Giza pyramids, such as horses, camels, and donkeys.


“These animals experience no love. They work from morning until night. It’s worth everything to us if we can give them even a little bit of comfort,” says Julie Cordua.


Good Karma Sanctuary provides emergency assistance with:

  • Colic treatment and euthanasia
  • Wound care and trauma treatment
  • X-rays and care for broken limbs
  • Laminitis, starvation, heatstroke, and infections
  • Deworming, dental care, and pain relief

Donations from Denmark

To make a difference for the animals in Egypt, Julie transports donations from Denmark to Good Karma Sanctuary. Several Danish equestrian shops and veterinary clinics have supported the project with supplies such as halters, bandages, and dietary supplements.


“It means everything to me that people want to help with donations,” she says. “I cover all the expenses for flights, extra luggage, and so on. It’s my choice, and I’m happy to do it, but I’m still incredibly grateful that so many want to contribute.”


Eldorado, the parent company of Unamari, has donated several boxes of equipment, including fly spray — which has proven to be especially useful.


“Something as simple as fly spray is a huge help. There are an unbelievable number of flies down there, so when you're treating wounds or performing surgery, fly spray is absolutely essential,” Julie explains.

Improvements on the horizon

There is still a long way to go for animal welfare in Egypt’s tourism industry, but passionate individuals like Tegan Joke Vanderpost have already created noticeable improvements.


“Fortunately, things have improved in several areas. Tegan has worked to ensure that the animals now have better access to water near the pyramids, and more initiatives are underway that will continue to improve their conditions,” says Julie Cordua.


“I know we can’t save them all, but for every horse I help, I’m saving someone’s whole world. And that’s enough for me,” she concludes.


Visit goodkarmasanctuary.org to learn more.

You can support the clinic's work by donating directly through their website or by contributing to Julie Cordua’s officially approved MobileBox: 0941FF.


Tourist horses in Egypt are subjected to mistreatment, but Julie Cordua and Good Karma Sanctuary are working to improve their living conditions — with occasional donations from Denmark, including from Unamari.

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