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TLM Africa
48 Projects
Population covered: 131,416,105
The Leprosy Mission’s work in Africa stretches from Ethiopia to South Africa. Our earliest association was in 1902 when the first grant was made available for leprosy work in Sudan. Each year approximately 40 projects are supported which serve around 25,000 people affected by leprosy.
While much of TLM’s work in Africa remains medical – through the detection, treatment and cure of those affected by leprosy, there is now a greater emphasis on a holistic and integrated approach so that all needs related to leprosy are covered.
In the face of other devastating diseases such as AIDS and malaria, TLM remains committed to providing support and assistance to health authorities and project partners in their efforts to control leprosy.
A sample of TLM's work in Africa is given below. Alternatively, click on a country on the right for country specific information:
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Angola
Botswana
Chad
DR Congo
Ethiopia
Guinea
Lesotho
Mozambique
Niger
Nigeria
South Africa
Sudan
Tanzania
Uganda
Zimbabwe |
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Micro Enterprise Development
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Through micro credit loans, people affected by leprosy and other disabilities are encouraged to take up their traditional occupations, start new vocations or set up small businesses. This is achieved through advocacy, counselling and loans, often in community groups. For example at the Zenbe Work Income Generation Project in Ethiopia, groups of twelve leprosy affected people each, decide how best to allocate loans from group savings.
As small businesses start and economic independence is found, livelihoods are restored. Beneficiaries can also become powerful advocates for reducing the stigma of leprosy in their communities.
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Prevention of Disability and Rehabilitation
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Through training, former patients and their families learn to protect themselves from injury and further disability through long term self care routines. This includes the importance of how to avoid ulcers and infections, strengthening exercises, and wearing protective footwear on anaesthetic feet.
Where disability has resulted, physiotherapy and mobility aids are provided. In Sudan and other African countries, TLM integrates leprosy work with other health and disability issues. Individuals are empowered to live productive and dignified lives, through improving mobility and helping create opportunities to earn a living.
Self Care Groups meet together for members to encourage and support each other in long term care routines.
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Leprosy Control Programmes
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TLM teams aim to detect and treat leprosy early-on before disability occurs. The programmes also raise awareness to encourage self-detection through recognising the first signs of leprosy, so early treatment can be sought.
Throughout Africa, TLM teams work with government workers to train them in leprosy and disability issues, which ensures that leprosy remains on the health agenda and that expertise in leprosy is more widely available.
TLM teams work in remote areas throughout Africa to identify new cases of leprosy.
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Advocacy
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TLM works in partnership with other leprosy organisations, hospitals, governments and communities to change attitudes surrounding leprosy. In Ethiopia, TLM supports the ex-leprosy patients’ association ENAELP, which raises awareness and advocates full participation with equal opportunity of persons affected by leprosy.
In Nigeria, TLM works in partnership with IDEA, an international networking and advocacy organisation. Both organizations have become a powerful voice for those stigmatised by leprosy.
Through ENAELP’s efforts, World Leprosy Day has been celebrated in Ethiopia since 2000. This is an annual event taking place on the last Sunday in January to raise public awareness of leprosy.
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