Chairperson & Editor’s message
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the 25th edition of Epilepsy Africa News. Epilepsy Africa News is a platform whereby persons with epilepsy, Epilepsy Organisations and Individuals are sharing their views on issues on epilepsy. This edition is covering news for the Month of August, 2020.
In this article we remember an epilepsy icon, Anthony Mulenga Zimba, through an obituary of his work in Zambia. Last month we produced a special dedication edition to his work in Africa. As we continue to remember him and mourn his departure we look ahead with hope to the continued building of his legacy.
Investing in economic empowerment of persons with epilepsy has proven to a path to reduce poverty. We think empowering persons with epilepsy to rise out of poverty is essential for the sustainable development of any country. Mauritius has developed a sustainable partnership worth replicating with ‘Foodwise’, another Non-Governmental Organisation to ensure that the needs of persons with epilepsy are covered during the COVID-19 period and beyond. All organisations of persons with epilepsy have a leaf to borrow from the article covered in this issue. In the Democratic Republic of Congo we profile the work of Aslek – an organisation working to alleviate the suffering people with epilepsy are facing in terms of abandonment, lack of support services and discrimination.
We are also giving tips on how to develop community-based partnerships to ensure that all organisations working with people with epilepsy add value to their work across the region. It has been noted that organisations can effectively mobilise people to come out of the shadows but without effective and sustainable partnerships it is difficult to maintain created groups together. Persons with epilepsy do not only need medication, but have other social needs that can be addressed through working with other organisations.
We are excited to announce that 6 countries (Mauritius, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Africa and Malawi) have received sub grants to carryout innovative projects in Africa and develop models that could be replicated across the region through our Promising Strategies Grant. In the next article we will share the outcome of another four countries that will receive the Making Epilepsy a Health Priority Funding. We are excited that 16 countries applied for this funding. We want to thank the Band Foundation that has proved to be a trusted friend for epilepsy in Africa by supporting all our projects. In the next article we will be sharing with you new developments and prospects that are lying ahead, including the establishment of the African Epilepsy Trust Fund. Let’s all take a role to empower persons together with IBE Africa, so that we can change the face of epilepsy in Africa.
Action Amos
IBE Africa Vice President
