Story
<p>This year The Leprosy Mission is helping to support an exciting community partnership project in Mozambique which adopts an integrated approach to mission. Working with ALEMO, a leprosy members association, and local pastors, the Mission is helping to improve livelihoods by providing training in agriculture.<br><br>Training materials on ‘<span style="color: #99cc00;"><strong>Farming God’s way’</strong></span> have been provided, to help develop knowledge about sustainable agricultural methods. With your help, our ambitious aim is to support individuals – people like Muhamuda – to become self-sufficient through a network of self-help groups. <br><br>Muhamuda developed leprosy many years ago, and has lost a finger on one hand and all the fingers on the other. He subsequently injured his arm when he fell from a tree, trying to farm. Alone, he would find it very difficult to support himself through subsistence farming, and would have little hope of an independent future. However, through the self-help group, all members will contribute what they can and reap the benefits. Muhamuda’s group has acquired some land to farm, and would profit greatly from training. But the advantages do not stop with access to agricultural training.<br><br>Through the self-help group, individuals like Muhamuda find out about entitlements. By acquiring identity documents such as birth and residence certificates they are able to access health checks, voting rights, social grants and much more.<br><br><span style="color: #99cc00;"><strong>"The benefit of being together is you can help</strong></span><br><span style="color: #99cc00;"><strong> others and teach what you know; it’s not the </strong></span><br><span style="color: #99cc00;"><strong> same as being alone. In a group, if you do </strong></span><br><span style="color: #99cc00;"><strong> something incorrectly someone else can come</strong></span><br><span style="color: #99cc00;"><strong> and say, “Don’t do this”. I’ve also received </strong></span><br><span style="color: #99cc00;"><strong> sunglasses today to help my eyes. If I was </strong></span><br><span style="color: #99cc00;"><strong> alone that might not have happened, but </strong></span><br><span style="color: #99cc00;"><strong> together we’re recognised as a self-care group.</strong><strong>"</strong></span></p>
<p>Here at The Leprosy Mission we are excited by the opportunities that this project offers to Muhamuda and others disadvantaged by leprosy, and have committed to raise £62,122 in support. <br><br><span style="color: #99cc00;"><strong>Please consider a gift today to help bring hope to people affected by leprosy in Mozambique.</strong></span><br><br>Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to The Leprosy Mission and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - we raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the The Leprosy Mission.</p>