International Christian Development Agency The Leprosy Mission has set up eleven Hubs of Hope in Cabo Delgado, the most northern province of Mozambique. The residents have lived amid escalating violence since 2017. More than 4,000 people have been killed. The United Nations states that almost a million people have been forced to flee their homes.
The Hubs have been built as a result of the Unconditional Campaign in 2021, which was awarded UK Aid Match funding. This meant every pound donated was matched by the UK government. The appeal raised £4.4 million, including £2 million from the UK government.
The Hubs of Hope are often the only place in a village with electricity and an internet connection. People once banished from their communities because of leprosy are welcomed in the hubs. Members of the community have been trained as Leprosy Changemakers. As a result more than 1,300 people have been cured of leprosy since the project began. This has happened because 43 government health workers have received leprosy training. Leprosy Changemakers refer people to these vital health workers. The training ensures no leprosy case is misdiagnosed or missed through ignorance.
Chief Executive of The Leprosy Mission England and Wales, Peter Waddup, said: “I am incredibly thankful to our amazing supporters for changing the lives of tens of thousands of people in Northern Mozambique for the better. And we are only halfway through the roll-out of this incredible project!
“I am also in awe of my tenacious and selfless colleagues in Mozambique. The fact that this project has been able to go ahead, let alone be so successful, in such circumstances is nothing short of miraculous. Not only have they risked their own lives by working in areas of violent attacks, but they have also sacrificed their own family time. Since the project began, many staff families have left Cabo Delgado for safety as the insurgents moved south towards Pemba. Yet Leprosy Mission teams have remained resolute and steadfast. Their bravery and sacrifice have provided a lifeline to people who have been through unspeakable trauma. I am so thankful for and inspired by the hope radiating from these special Hubs seven days a week.”
Main Photo Credit: Ricardo Franco
