Mossy Foot

As Sean, Joey, and I made our way to the auditorium of the clinic in Addo, a large crowd of people gathered outside began clapping and shouting "lelelelele," an Ethiopian way of expressing joy.  Confused, we exchanged glances with each other, wondering who inside the auditorium the people were cheering for.  By the time we had entered the packed auditorium, the noise had grown to a dull roar and the realization hit us- they were all cheering for us.

We had journeyed to the nearby town of Addo in order to learn more about podoconiosis, a disease which causes one's legs and feet to swell up.  The disease, which affects nearly 1 million in Ethiopia, is a major focus of Tropical Health Alliance Foundation's efforts in the country, and gained further awareness after efforts to fight it were discussed in the bestselling book Crazy Love by Francis Chan.

Podoconiosis, or "podo" for short, is caused by the absorption of certain types of metals particularly common in volcanic soil into the human body.  Over time, the immune systems of people with a genetic susceptibility to podo attack these metals and immune cells accumulate in lymph nodes, leading to a build up of fluid and the swollen appearance characteristic of the disease.  So far, no treatment has been developed to reverse podo, although wearing shoes seems to effectively prevent the disease.

the Addo auditorium

 "Who here has been personally victimized by Regina George?" ...sorry, couldn't resist

The three of us had only expected to observe the happenings at the clinic and chat with some of the patients there about their experiences with podo, so we were largely unprepared for the overwhelming reception that greeted us.  The hundred-plus attendees in the auditorium expected speeches from us, so Sean and Joey posed questions to the audience.  It turned out that nearly everyone in the room had podo, and a large majority understood that they had contracted podo because they had walked in the soil barefoot.

What was surprising to us was that 2 out of 5 people with podo feels constant pain, and that the majority of those treated for podo at the Addo clinic were women.

We also learned about the numerous challenges facing those with podo.  While some patients could not even afford shoes, others who could obtain shoes noted that the shoes available to them often broke after a few months.  Still others had feet which had grown so large that they could not find shoes that fit.

Near the end of our session in the auditorium, a man from the audience rose to address everyone.  As he spoke of his parents and others like them, whose feet hurt so badly that they could not even leave the house to buy shoes or come to the clinic, tears began to fall from his eyes.  One by one, the other members of the audience began to weep as well, as they commiserated with the man and his parents' situation.

Following our time in the auditorium, we moved to the outside faucets where podo patients came to wash their feet.  Proper and regular feet washing is often not practiced due both to cultural norms and lack of access to clean water.  Though podo cannot be reversed, keeping one's feet clean can help alleviate symptoms of the disease.

During the feet washing, some of the patients took the time to share their stories with us.  One man in his mid-30s related how he had been an avid soccer player in his younger days until he contracted podo, his feet  now permanently disfigured and disabled.

Efforts by organizations like THAF, the Addo clinic, and the Mossy Foot Project in southern Ethiopia are making headway in educating people about and treating people with podo, but as we saw, podoconiosis is still a reality for many and challenges still remain.