Latest Blogs

Today and every day, we are thankful for you. We are thankful that you continue to stand by us, our partners and the people we serve. 

Dealing with Covid-19 has been an incredibly difficult process for everyone worldwide, but those who live with leprosy have been deeply affected by this pandemic. Not only has the Covid-19 pandemic posed challenges personally to those with Leprosy, but it’s also had a major impact on the process of caring for their medical needs.

Together with our partners, we conducted a community-based gender analysis at the start of the Every Child Thrives project  to better understand the local context and situation. We used the findings to develop the Gender Equality Strategy for the project

effect:hope launched a program called Every Child Thrives to counter the effects of soil-transmitted helminths. This project combined deworming treatment and vitamin A supplementation for children under 5 years old in areas of Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya from March 2016 to March 2020. 

They developed a close friendship despite the age gap. “She’s like my little sister...we are like two peas in a pod", said Asha. (Photo: Tom Bradley) 

Leprosy made Kamasa a feared man. In his remote community, nobody understood what the strange growths on his face and ears were. Even family members stayed away. But Kamasa's journey didn't end there.

Ten people affected by leprosy stood at a distance, isolated by disease and regarded with public disdain. They had heard about a man, Jesus, and couldn’t miss the chance to see Him.

Please join us and pray for our partners and their families, who are struggling with health issues and heartache during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As the world grapples to cope and respond to COVID-19, effect:hope is adapting existing networks and resources to continue protecting vulnerable communities. In this piece, guest blogger Amy Davis from the Canadian Network of Neglected Tropical Diseases highlights our program in Liberia and discusses how organizations focused on neglected tropical diseases are uniquely primed to quickly pivot to address COVID-19 challenges.

More than 1 billion people today are affected by neglected tropical diseases. But what exactly are these diseases and how can you help? Find out more through this article.

Neglected tropical diseases like leprosy take a severe toll on mental health for people like Moynul. “I’ve suffered a lot. I have no income, and I can’t even manage to give my wife and daughter meals twice a day. At night I cry and cry as I have no ability to do anything.”

You may have seen videos of people expressing gratitude to encourage and celebrate healthcare workers and their service on the frontlines of the Coronavirus response. But in some countries, like the ones where we serve, healthcare workers are being attacked and stigmatized.

Justelin noticed a lesion on her skin when she was 12 years old. It was a small aberration that another child might have missed. But she noticed. 

Super Cyclone Amphan made landfall in the coastal areas in India and Bangladesh on May 20, 2020. Places like Kolkata in West Bengal and parts of Odisha state in India bore the brunt of the cyclone and sustained severe damage and flooding. It also caused significant destruction in Bangladesh.   

Many Canadians are often surprised to learn that leprosy still exists. But did you know the country once sheltered leprosy patients at colonies in New Brunswick and BC?

COVID-19 has made life harder for many people, but on #GivingTuesdayNow, you can do something about it! Read our 4 tips on giving back.

A personal update from a doctor at our partner hospital on how COVID-19 is affecting people with leprosy and other neglected tropical diseases.

Renowned author Philip Yancey recently wrote a post on the Christian response to COVID-19. We hope you’ll find it as encouraging and helpful as we did!

We are grateful to our supporters, partners, and staff for all they do to ensure people affected by neglected diseases aren’t further neglected. Please click "Read More" to view the video. 

Six-year-old Seth is getting ready for school at his house. His mother, Comfort, adjusts his uniform, grateful he is well enough to continue his education. 

Two years ago, this father-of-three contracted lymphatic filariasis, a neglected tropical disease, and had to stop working. But you helped him get better. Find out how.

Paule seemed different from other children her age. She was smaller and had brittle hair. But what concerned them most was her listlessness. Here's what the doctors said.

As a young child, Shanu was shamed into leaving school because of her disease. Other children bullied her and whispered behind her back. Unfortunately, things got worse.

When a small patch of discoloured skin appeared on Murti's forehead, her parents weren't overly concerned. But then the patch wouldn't go away.