Deolinda Silvério, a 49-year-old married mother of three children, resides in the Namuno district's Chimuili village , Mozambique. She is well known in the village and has been a village representative for the Mozambican Women's Organization for more than five years now. When TLM set up a self care group in 2022,  Deolinda was chosen  as a group representative because of her dedication to her work and the influence she posseses in the community.

In 2022 Deolinda was dignosed with leprosy at the Peripheral Health Unit (PHU) in her district, even though she no prior knowldege about the disease. It was the members of the self care group, trained in leprosy, who spotted Deolinda’s skin patches and referred her to the PHU. Deolinda received treatment and support, and has been healed with no lasting effects.

Promoting leprosy awareness and training of community actors is an integral part of TLMs support to the leprosy control programme in Mozambique. In addition to improving the leprosy expertise of health technicians at the district and Peripheral Health Units (PHU); we also support the training of Community Health Volunteers, community leaders, Mukulukanas-traditional healers and self care groups for early detection and treatment of leprosy

TLMs community based inclusive development(CBID) approach goes beyond just leprosy awareness and training. Through the self-care groups we partner with local civic groups and organisations, recognising their lived experince, cultural expertise, local influence; and their agency in promoting greater inlusion for persons affected by leprosy, persons with disability, women and other marginalised groups. The CBID approach seeks to promote sustainable and inclusive development for the whole community.

Deolinda has received training on leprosy detection and treatment from the TLMM team. She looks out for signs and symptoms of leprosy among people in her neighbourood and refers suspects to the community health volunteers or the PHU. She regularly attends the self care group meetings and brings expertise in women’s rights to the self care group.  Deolinda has gathered women in her community to offer marital advice, and speaks to girls going through puberty about sexual and reproductive health rights, early marriages, unintended pregnancies, and even initiation rites. She recognises the need for gender balance in the group’s work  and for men to support the rights of women, especially education of adolescents. The self care groups have adopted new strategies to encourage more community members to join, including enouraging members to join as a couple.

Recently, Deolinda received an invitation to join her village's leadership group and the local political  party as a result of her strong social standing. "I always make space  to speak out in favor of women rights  and leprosy at community meetings."

Their village now has a Media Center where the Leprosy Mission Mozambique provides videos as educational tools. The community  group and the women here are able to learn more  about preventing leprosy and other illnesses, agriculture, cooking, climate change, business ideas etc.

"The Media Center brings together our knowledge and many interesting subjects, in addition to providing us with a healthy space for our meetings."

Today, prejudice against the group of persons affected by leprosy involved in community decision-making and day-to-day activities has ended, and more women have joined the group to fight gender inequity and discrimination.

"Women are strong enough to be community change agents."