Today we are delighted to announce details of our new international partner, the Tanzania Diabetes Association, and some of the first individuals we will be helping there through The Pendsey Trust.
Based at the Muhimbili National Hospital Diabetes Centre in Dar es Salaam, the Tanzania Diabetes Association aims to improve the lives of those living with Type 1 diabetes from disadvantaged backgrounds, with aims closely aligned to those of The Pendsey Trust. Having discussed the issues facing such children, they are remarkably similar to those we continue to help at the Pendsey Trust;Â limited availability of insulin and monitoring equipment, lack of storage facilities for insulin, cost of insulin etc. Life expectancy for a child with Type 1 diabetes in Africa can be as low as one year and many parents make the difficult decision between feeding their other children and letting the child with diabetes die.
The clinic is currently helping over 500 children to access the insulin they need to survive. We are partnering with them to support their new vocational programme which will help patients break free of the cycle of poverty by entering employment that will support the costs of their condition.
Lameck is 17 years old and like most teenage boys, loves football! Due to his family’s financial position, he was unable to continue education past primary school and currently helps his mother with domestic chores. He was diagnosed with diabetes in 2007 after being rushed to Arusha hospital with Malaria symptoms.
Lameck aspires to be able to use and repair computers, a career that with the boom of technology will allow him to support the costs of his own medication. We are happy to be supporting him to achieve this and he will shortly be starting seven months of training.
Similarly, Innocent, also 17, dreams of a better life where he can support himself and his own medical costs through working as an electrician. As he embarks on a 12 month training with our support, we are delighted to be helping him achieve this dream.
We look forward to hearing how The Pendsey Trust’s first Tanzanians get on with their training. If anyone is interested in finding out more about our Tanzania project, or would like to support our work there, please contact admin@thependseytrust.org for more details.