SOMALIA - Faaduma has hopes and dreams like many of her peers the world over, wanting a good education and a successful career and life.
Faaduma is from Somalia and belongs to a family of five, which includes one brother, one sister, her parents and herself.
They are subsistence farmers and come from a very poor village in Labadaad southwest of the capital Mogadishu.
Faaduma is fairly new at the leprosy clinic though she has had leprosy for the past two years. She never had any form of treatment for the disease, and coming from a village where leprosy is a common occurrence, she is extremely fortunate.
She discovered patches on her skin and soon realized she had leprosy because she had seen the symptoms with other patients, including her father and grandfather.
She went to the clinic at Belduraxmo in Labadaad and was put on the leprosy medication MDT (multi-drug therapy).
Faaduma has had no disability or deformity because she began her treatment of MDT early, and although she still has 12 months more of medication she does not seem to mind.
“Thank you for helping our people at the clinic and please continue with the help,” Faaduma said.