At this very moment, your Christian stewardship is at work in the world — reaching some of the most remote, most vulnerable neighbors, wherever they need it most. Your compassion allows us to walk with these neighbors for the long term, accompanying them until they are strong enough to walk on their own.
In Tanzania, you’ve done exactly that. After more than a decade of partnership — building capacity and training health care workers — we’ve handed back the reins to our empowered neighbors to keep moving forward. Thanks to the dedication of friends like you!
Trachoma is a bacterial eye infection that can cause painful swelling and even blindness. It’s one in a group of over 20 conditions called Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) found mainly in resource-limited settings. Globally, NTDs affect over 1 billion people. Despite their profound impact, they have historically received very little attention and health care workers have received even less support to address them.
Empowering our neighbors to move forward
Sophia Mohamed was in pain for years before receiving surgery.
The love of donors like you has supported critical work in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, rallying against diseases such as lymphatic filariasis in Haiti, visceral leishmaniasis in South Sudan and trachoma in Tanzania. Diseases barely known outside the medical community and yet all too familiar to the dedicated health care workers who tirelessly mobilize and advocate for those who are affected.
Nurse Hawa received training, medicine and supplies to help patients facing trachoma.
In Tanzania, your kindness provided training, medicine and supplies, equipping health workers like Nurse Hawa Rashid Msangi. Working out of the Mkuranga District Hospital near Dar Es Salaam, she performs trachoma surgeries and provides relief to people who are suffering.
Because of supporters like you, we have nearly eliminated blindness due to trachoma infections in the region.
Here at Lutheran World Relief, we often say our goal is to work ourselves out of a job. Thanks for getting us one step closer!
