Prevention and treatment of podoconiosis

The Mossy Foot Treatment & Prevention Association (MFTPA) is a NGO registered with the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Justice and based in Wolaitta Zone (a zone of 1.7 million people) in South Ethiopia.

It has been active for 10 years in prevention and treatment of podoconiosis, known as the "mossy foot" disease: a geochemical disease affecting people as they walk barefoot. The skin becomes rough and bumpy (looking like moss, hence the name) and, with recurrent infection, produces an offensive smell and a painful swelling. The discomfort makes it impossible for the sufferers to walk, carry out their normal work and family duties. Sadly poverty leads to bad health and social prejudice.

In Ethiopia alone, about 11 million people (15% of the population) are at risk through exposure to irritant soil. In the Wolaitta Zone, most families live in extremely destitute conditions and have no disposable income to buy shoes.
The MFTPA's mission is not only to prevent and treat podoconiosis, but also to rehabilitate people suffering from the disease. In addition to the clinic-based treatments, surgery, health education and provision of large-sized shoes, a microcredit system has been put into place for women who have been cured and are able to begin a new life.

Through its support to the MFTPA, the Addax Foundation provides loans to 150 women to help them create income generating activities in order to become financially independent and self-sufficient. These women have become widows or been abandoned because of the mossy foot disease but have been successfully treated by MFTPA and are actually able to go on with their normal lives.

The 150 women were selected from the 14 mossy foot clinic sites based on the following criteria:

all of them were involved in whatever kind of income generating activities before contracting the disease and unable to continue their business once affected by it;
they must elect one person, a representative of the community or a religious leader, as their guarantor to facilitate their reintegration into a social community network;
their work will be monitored for 12 months, and two evaluations will be performed during the year.

The income generating activities are numerous and include:
1. As "middleman" selling coffee beans and leaves, yams, vegetables, fruits and others
2. Selling salt and spices
3. Baking and selling injera (the local bread)
4. Buying and selling domestic animals and their products like chicken and eggs, goats, sheep and others

Location	Wolaitta Zone Ethiopia
Objective	To provide vocational training and a microcredit loan to 150 women
How	By supporting Mossy Foot Treatment & Prevention Association (MFTPA)