Dawro Zone, southwest Ethiopia.
Damenech lives with her parents in the rural Dawro Zone. Her village is a 20-minute walk from the vehicle track, along a treacherous rocky path. When I first saw Damenech she had been washing her clothes in the river at the bottom of the ravine. Hearing of our arrival she climbed the steep path back up to the village to greet us with an immense smile and hug.
The stigma of podoconiosis.
Damenech is 26 years old and has lived with podoconiosis (podo) for most of her life. Left untreated, it had become so painful she was unable to stand due to the swelling and infection. She told me she had felt so ashamed.
Until our partner found her, Damenech had been forced to sleep alone with the cattle. Her family and community didn’t know how to help, and like many people, considered podo to be a curse.
What is podoconiosis?
Podo is a chronic devastating and disfiguring disease of the lower legs and feet, a type of elephantiasis. This non-infectious neglected tropical disease is caused by direct exposure to irritant minerals found in fertile volcanic red clay soil, which covers one-fifth of Ethiopia. Prolonged exposure to these harmful minerals causes severe swelling, constant pain and deformity of the lower limbs.
At risk from the ground she walks on.
For communities like Damenech’s who live, work and farm the land barefoot, daily contact with the soil is unavoidable. Right now, men, women and children are at risk from the very ground they rely on to survive. People who cannot afford shoes, or keep shoes reserved only for special occasions or certain family members.
In extreme cases like Damenech’s, a person can become debilitated and isolated, with nowhere else to turn. I have heard reports of people dying through starvation or infection.
Custom-made shoes and self-care kits.
Damenech received support from our partner Action on Podoconiosis and Integrated Development Organisation (APIDO). They provided her with custom-made shoes to protect her feet from the soil, and a self-care kit to reduce the symptoms and alleviate the pain.
APIDO also train local health workers to manage and prevent podo, establish shoe-making workshops, and run awareness campaigns communicating the causes, symptoms and prevention. This reduces stigma, promotes early detection and encourages people to seek care.
I cannot tell you how moving it was to see Damenech smiling proudly as she showed me her feet and legs, now vastly improved, and her custom-made shoes. She was so happy at how her life has transformed. The treatment means she can now stand and walk, work in the fields, go to church and join celebrations.
Now, her family and community understand she is not cursed and fully support her. Despite all she has been through, Damenech is adamant that she will share her story with others and the importance of wearing shoes to prevent podo in the first place.
Despite the successes so far, there are so many more people like Damenech who need us. Please donate today, to help us reach more people and prevent this devastating disease.
