An anniversary and a new milestone World Lymphoedema Day |
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When we launched on #WLD a year ago we could not have dreamed that within 1-year we would be workshopping our first massage video with people affected by lymphatic filariasis and podoconiosis! |
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Yet on March 6th this year, we did just that! Our Ethiopia Partners travelled to Mezo Feten and Menzo Seyato health posts in Sankura region, about 6 hours south of Addis Ababa. People affected by leg lymphoedema and their family members were invited to the workshops. |
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LKN Foundation is an Australian Charity creating accessible, evidence based education on lymphoedema self-care for people in low-and-middle-income countries. |
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We always work hand-in-hand with the local health system. In Ethiopia the health extension workers (HEW) are the primary point of health care in remote and rural regions, and are always included in our workshops and training activities. |
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Building on projects carried out by our Founding Members and Partners in Bangladesh and Ethiopia, we are developing digital training tools for all stakeholders. From the people affected and their families, to local and central health staff, and any NGO working to deliver health services in neglected populations. |
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We provide everything the people will need for their self-care routine; bowls, soap, towels, massage oil. These items are cheap and easy to source in-country. Getting the training teams out to remote villages is much more complex and expensive. Many regions are inaccessible by road, so we need effective digital materials to reach even the farthest outpost. |
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We are 100% funded by private donations A $5 or $10 monthly subscription will help us complete our Stage 1 goals and create meaningful educational tools. We will continue to work tirelessly to share these tools with the 20 million people living with the debilitating and disfiguring effects of lymphatic filariasis- and podoconiosis-related lymphoedema. |
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People affected and their family members were shown our draft videos and asked questions about the characters and the massage actions. We've collected survey data and voice recordings to guide further development of the educational materials. |
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Natnael, Fikre, Mebratu and Dereje will go back to the Mezo Feten and Menzo Seyato health posts in a few weeks to show the videos again and talk to people about what helps or hinders their self-care practice. Follow-up visits like these are essential to encourage people to continue using self-care long enough to experience the benefits. |
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The lymphatic massage video is only the first of many. We plan to create breathing and exercise demos, and develop support material for the HEWs. Once our Ethiopia characters can perform their actions clearly we can to transform them into any nationality. Click on the photo to see a short video. |
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Join our mailing list for regular updates on all LKN activites |
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