Elfreda Cudjoe
My Story
At 10 years old, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This came after several misdiagnoses, including Malaria, so I was lucky to be alive. It was devastating for my family because nobody knew what to do. Moreover, hailing from humble beginnings meant that my family had to prioritize so my medical needs could be met. Two years after my diagnosis, at 12, I had a stroke, so I grew up fragile and feeling alone because the stigma, lack of community support and the inaccessibility of supplies made my condition feel unbearable. I had to choose between living or dying, and I chose life and hope. I realized that I had to use my voice to raise awareness and advocate for my condition because no one else would be as effective as I would be. I believe that change has to come because people with type 1 diabetes can thrive, although likely not without the support of their communities.
My Advocacy
Advocacy is important because it provides a voice and protects the basic rights of vulnerable people. Why do I want to advocate? Because I want to educate people about diabetes, teach them not to discriminate, and to be a voice for those who can’t. Advocacy can help build communities and ensure the long-term change we want to see in the world happens. The Pamoja advocacy program will get us there.
My team advocacy goal for 2018 was to educate the community about type 1 diabetes and reduce misunderstandings about it type 1 diabetes in schools and to educate the community in schools and educate. To do that, my team wanted to deliver 6 presentations in schools about type 1 diabetes in Cape Coast and Accra regions. Despite challenges, our team has been able to hold a variety of events and presentations. We have educated thousands of young people to help them understand type 1 diabetes, why insulin is essential, and why having diabetes does not mean that a person is any less valuable than anyone else.
We end all of our presentations with a chant of ‘‘Pamoja! Together we can!’’
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