
Message from the founder
Greetings to you all,
My name is Kibra Kebede, and I am the founder of PPSO-E, an organization that supports Parkinson's patients in Ethiopia. (Parkinson disease) is a brain disorder that is a degenerative and progressive disorder of the central nerves system. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's at an early age of 30. Being a Parkinson's patient has not been an easy journey. Before the establishment of Parkinson's Patients Support Organization - Ethiopia, there was little to no awareness about Parkinson's disease. Unfortunately, I have bad experience, without knowing my condition, the society around me isolated and discriminated against me. They avoided direct communication with me and would instead approach my family members for any needs. They treated me as if I was good for nothing. Despite having no knowledge of Parkinson's, they attached the symptoms of Parkinson to the work of bad spirit. This believe negatively impacted the life’s of PD patients. Instead of seeking modern medical treatment. , they would prefer going to holy water or traditional healers. In this event that they did not get cured, they would be locked in their homes until death. Realizing the pain and suffering that Parkinson's patients go through, I decided to establish an NGO to reduce their struggles. The Parkinson's Patients Support Organization - Ethiopia (PPSO-E) was established in 2011, with the Goal - quality of life for Parkinson's patients and their caregivers.
Activities
PPSO-E’s activities are grouped into 3 group
- Awareness raising
- Capacity building
- Care and support
The different activities implemented by PPSO-E are given below:
Awareness raising:
The first and core reason for establishing PPSO-E is to make Parkinson's disease known to everybody in Ethiopia. We achieve this through various methods, including broadcasting about PD on government and non-government-owned media, FM radios, daily and seasonal newsletters, and magazines. We also organize meetings and celebrate World Parkinson's Day. Additionally, we produce and distribute reading materials on Parkinson's. While we have made progress in raising awareness, it is not a one-day activity, and we must continue until all people know about Parkinson's, recognize patients, and support them.
Capacity building:
The second major activity is capacity building. Since the name of Parkinson's is new to the people, that is why we broadcasted through awareness activities but, specific groups need to know in detail about it than the general population. Parkinson's patients and caregivers must receive training on Parkinson's disease and its management. Other stakeholders who have a direct or indirect impact on Parkinson's disease and patients should receive training based on their type and degree of involvement.