DAHW supported altogether 243 projects in 26 countries with 12,513.405,65 Euro in 2011. These are the basicfigures recorded at the end of the year. Furthermore, there are many additional aspects that are important for the sustainable success of DAHW in its member countries.
The changes made through a new strategic planning in the previous year were a constant part of DAHW´s work in Germany in 2011. The general conditions confirmed by the honorary board in close co-operation with the full-time employees domestically and abroad, personnel structure in the Würzburg headquarters and in project countries as well as the trend in donations and their future maintenance were the three most important aspects.
The DAHW´s ideal created in the previous year says: “In our vision there is a world where no human being has to suffer from leprosy, tuberculosis and other diseases of poverty and their consequences such as disabilities and exclusion.” In the 2011 reporting year we worked enthusiastically to put our vision into practice and to focus our plans on future challenges.
New structures for sustainable work
The first consequence for us: of the existing five departments at the DAHW in Germany only four remained. The two independent departments Press and Public Relations and Fundraising became the Public Relations & Fundraising Department. Numerous interfaces in work with donors, the honorary office, press or education can now be done in a more effective way.
These leaner structures enable fast decision-making as well as a faster process when it comes to new measures yet to be developed.
The development of individual donations in the past years showed this was necessary. Declining numbers of single donors could only be compensated by increasing the average amount of each donation. In the 2011 reporting year DAHW received, for the first time for many years, more donations and subsidies than expected. This surplus went into reserve funds and will secure the work of DAHW in the coming year. In previous years the reserve funds had to balance the financial need for projects repeatedly as revenues were too weak. More details and exact figures can be found in the report of the treasurer.
Program and project work
There is still a strong need of support for people who are affected by leprosy, tuberculosis or Buruli ulcer.
In Ethiopia, Yemen, Senegal, Northern and Southern Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Niger, Pakistan and Sierra Leone the respective governments are not in position to fund special leprosy or tuberculosis programmes on their own. On the one hand they just do not have the means, on the other hand other diseases tend to attract the attention of the national ministries of health more because they are easier to treat, international sponsors are more interested in them or simply because they are less stigmatizing.
DAHW begins with its work by providing personnel and logistical support. That is why the respective national ministries of health still have the incentive to carry out leprosy and tuberculosis programmes. The majority of support in these countries continues to go directly to hospitals and health stations in poor areas so that patients receive medical help. By supporting countries like Brazil, India or Columbia also staff can be health assistants or even doctors after they have received training and further education in the respective healthcare systems that are enabled by DAHW.
Even though these countries are doing better from an economic viewpoint, there is a lack of understanding from politicians and decision makers in the ministries when it comes to large-scale leprosy work. Furthermore the poorest of the poor are still neglected in these countries, especially
when they get a disease like leprosy.
In Egypt, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique DAHW has a longstanding co-operation agreement with reliable local project partners. Their attention is on aid projects such as hospitals, treatment and training centres where patients receive direct support and staff can be trained.
Marked by tuberculosis: Patient in the hospital of Lakka, close to Freetown, Sierra Leone. Photo: DAHW
In 119 projects DAHW was able to look after nearly 40,000 people who had been taken acutely ill with leprosy. In addition, 74,000 former patients in 40 projects who suffer from the consequences of leprosy such as physical disabilities, received support from DAHW. There are another 55,000 former leprosy patients receiving treatment in DAHW projects to avoid further personal injuries and mutilations. DAHW was able to help more than 94,000 people with income generating measures, training and further education or other social support.
In 90 aid projects the focus of work is on tuberculosis. Altogether 417,000 patients got access to diagnosis and therapy through this support. 80 children that had Buruli ulcer, the terrible disease also known as “the Sister of Leprosy”, could be helped in two projects in Togo. Besides the DAHW is responsible for area-wide control of this disease and plays an active role when it comes to developing and exploring new methods for diagnosing and treating this rare illness.
DAHW joined together with another 42 organizations in the initiative “NGO Ideas” to monitor impact. Altogether 13 members from Germany and 30 from countries of the south work out suitable instruments for an effective project work and examine their effects. This is done together with the
respective population as it is an important precondition for finding out if it has had positive effects for the people. In a working session in India all partners determined a broad series of points which are important for effective impact monitoring. The evaluation of the “NGO Ideas” project will take place during the course of 2012.
The setting up of a control programme for leprosy in Liberia was started in 2011 by DAHW. The present national leprosy programme existed, up to that stag, only on paper and could not show any significant expertise, a result of decades of lasting civil war in this West African country. As a consequence the rate of new cases and disabilities caused by leprosy increased steadily. Since the end of 2011 Dr. Pieter de Koning, an experienced expert for leprosy, has been on the spot. During the year 2012 he will train staff members first and extend medical supply, especially in the northern regions.
Aid and reconstruction
During the devastating flood in Pakistan in August 2010 more than two million families lost their homes, many their whole lives and limbs. For more than 50 years DAHW and its partner organizations like “Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre” (MALC), which is under the management of Mrs. Dr. Ruth Pfau and “Aid for Leprosy Patients” (ALP), led by Mrs. Dr. Chris Schmotzer, have been playing an active role in Pakistan. That is the reason why they could react quickly and provide aid rapidly after the floods. The last emergency
measures were finalized in 2010. The reconstruction is expected to last at least three years.
“Zero hour”: Many houses in Pakistan have been completely destroyed and have to be rebuilt. Photo: DAHW
With the support of DAHW, MALC and ALO were able to provide direct help for many families. In the 2011 reporting year the construction of 554 houses was completed and a further 115 are under construction. 335 families received seed and fertilizers, 80 goats, cows and other income-generating activities. An underground water tank was built and 65 wells, equipped with hand pumps, were installed. DAHW spent 1,304.581 million euro on reconstruction in Pakistan, in 2011 alone.
At the same time reconstruction in Columbia, barely noticed by the public eye, was a topic. The devastating flood in 2010 was the worst in the country´s history. Many former leprosy patients were not in a condition to be able to reconstruct their destroyed houses and cow barns on their own. Mostly it affected those who were living with disabilities caused by the disease. In 2010 DAHW supported 61 of them with 45,000 euro, who are now able to take care of themselves again.
Public relation work and fundraising
The number of donors decreased slightly in 2011. Nevertheless, 53,331 people entrusted their money to DAHW to help people suffering from leprosy, tuberculosis or other stigmatizing illnesses or consequences.
One reason for the decrease, besides demographic aspects, is the fact that diseases of poverty appear unimaginably far away to many people. In Germany, less than 5,000 people get leprosy every year. They are reasonably well cared for by a well-functioning health system. Yearly, there are only few cases of leprosy in Germany, which mainly affect people who infected themselves during a longer stay in a country with a high rate of leprosy. The
likelihood of being confronted with leprosy in Germany is extremely low.
Sponsored run: Students from Waldbüttelbrunn collect donations for DAHW. Photo: Hisch / DAHW
So, one important tas intain awareness of German people when it comes to the need related to those diseases. To fulfil this mandate DAHW and other organizations set up the “Stop TB Forum”. It is to draw the attention to the sorrow of people suffering from tuberculosis and to remember the 1.5 million people that die of TB every year.
Coordination through the International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Association (ILEP) plays an important role in leprosy work. DAHW is a founding member and to date the only German Relief Association within the ILEP.
Without the numerous faithful honorary groups that support the leprosy work of DAHW with activities in the public eye as well as donation-generating activities every year, DAHW would not be able to do its work within Germany. We would like to express our gratitude to you.
DAHW´s Chief Executive Officer Burkard Kömm and Vice-President Franz Barthel on “Menschen” (People), TV show with host Maria Saemann, on local television channel TV Touring. Photo: Hövekenmeier / DAHW
Development-related educational work of DAHW is another important aspect to present to the public presentation. The co-operation with textbook publishers and teachers in the production of additional teaching aids about DAHW’s work helps provide contents for lessons. Students and committed teachers collected small and large amounts of money for charitable purposes through various activities.
2012: Plans and risks
DAHW cautiously planned, as usual, the budget for the current year of 2012. With the full amount of 10,077.230 euro from our own sources, we intend to support 215 projects in 23 countries. The main reason for this cautious step was the development of income in the past years. In 2012, we again expect a balanced budget.
DAHW´s representative Dr. Yvonne Harding (second from the right) and her team are being welcomed by the social minister of Sierra Leone (left). Photo: DAHW
One main reason is the decreasing willingness of the younger German generation when it comes to understanding the individual responsibility for global issues, and collecting money to do justice to them. Declining knowledge of diseases like leprosy and tuberculosis results in the public not being aware that people are suffering from these diseases and have needs. Hence, it becomes more difficult to find possible German donors.
Political instability in most of the project countries in which DAHW works is a considerable risk. In addition the work in countries like Nigeria, Afghanistan, Brazil or Pakistan is often disrupted by criminal or terrorist activities.
It will be possible to see development in the situation of Liberia, where the setting up of a new leprosy control project started at the end of 2011, in the near future. Soon, we will also know which tasks will be expected of us in the country that did not receive any support many years after the civil war. In any case, DAHW is willing to face those tasks again in the future.
Burkard Kömm
Chief Executive Officer
