{"id":7200,"date":"2023-11-02T18:05:31","date_gmt":"2023-11-02T18:05:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondsuncare.org\/consultar-nuestra-memoria-de-actividades-2022\/"},"modified":"2023-11-21T11:17:39","modified_gmt":"2023-11-21T11:17:39","slug":"activity-report-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondsuncare.org\/en\/activity-report-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"We tell you everything we did in 2022 – You can consult our activity report"},"content":{"rendered":"

The year 2022 was very special for Beyond Suncare, since june marked the fifth anniversary of the beginning of our journey as a NGO. Years that have been full of challenges, learning and joys and that encourage us, even more if possible, to continue working for and with people with albinism in sub-Saharan Africa.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the four countries where our work is focused – Malawi, Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)<\/strong> – we have cared for 3,653 people with albinism<\/strong> who have improved dermatological health with a decrease in precancerous lesions and an improvement in their self-confidence. We have also continued working with local healthcare personnel because their training and empowerment means a substantial improvement in the lives of people with albinism.<\/span><\/p>\n

We have reached out, hand in hand with medical associations and local civil society organizations, to very neglected communities in countries where we had no presence, such as Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Read on and we’ll tell you all about what we did in 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Our work in Malawi<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

In 2022 we obtained our first public funding in Spain and in Malawi, where our local office is located. In consortium with other NGOs and with the support of the European Union delegation in the country, we have launched a project that, apart from dermatological support, addresses the mental health of people with albinism with whom we work. It incorporates specialized psycho-social support with a special focus on those who have been victims of torture, kidnapping and serious violations of their rights.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to international institutions such as FAO, 85% of the population of Malawi lives in rural areas and more than 90% of the dermatological services are in urban hospitals. For these reasons, the training of health professionals in rural areas is very important.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In 2022 we consolidated our work in the 9 districts we were in and expanded to two new ones: Balaka and Mchinji. Together with the Malawi Ministry of Health, the Dermatology Department of Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe and the Malawi Association of People with Albinism, we trained 144 health professionals.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We identified pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions in 50 patients and they had to be referred to central hospitals. One of our objectives for 2023 has been to strengthen the referral system and skin cancer management at regional and local levels.<\/span><\/p>\n

We have also strengthened community awareness and sensitization actions, starting to work with community theater groups, creating a play for the understanding of albinism. Around 3,500 people attended performances in 6 districts of the country.<\/span><\/p>\n