ABOUT

Ileostomy Colostomy Zimbabwe Trust, (ILCO Zim), is an organization that is set to train, educate and inform the Ostomates, Doctors, nurses, Policy makers, caregivers and the community at large on Ostomy Care. This program is the first and one of its own kind in Zimbabwe that aims to upgrade the lifestyles of the ostomates to be socially empowered and economically self reliant through increase in knowledge on ostomy care, and public awareness on stoma conditions.

ILCO Zim focuses on  holding awareness campaigns in communities around Zimbabwe so that they are informed , educated and equipped with the knowledge about Ostomates. Trainings are done focusing on different groups, advocating to relevant ministries  and society on Ostomy appliances and Ostomates rights and needs through  the media.

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Ostomates are registered for data collection and ostomy appliances distributed to mobile, bed bound and home-bound Ostomates  on a monthly basis in the 8 provinces of Zimbabwe. Monthly meetings are held with Ostomates and support groups where Ostomates are assisted with Psycho-social support through proving basic Nutrition aid and projects so that they can sustain themselves. Research is conducted to enable the project to have updated Statics of the Ostomates in Zimbabwe. According to International Ostomy Association (IOA), statistics which were taken in 2002, the estimated number of ostomates in Zimbabwe was 965. This is an under estimate of the actual number of patients. There is no current updated statistics in the database, especially details of those operated from 2002 to date. However, since the inception of ILCO Zim intervention in 2011, the program has covered over 800 Ostomates (icluding newly operated patients), in the four main cities of operation, Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Masvingo. Other areas have not been reached due to funding.

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To cater for the wide variety of ethnic groups in Zimbabwe, production of Information, Education Communication (IEC) materials is done in different languages, English, Shona and Ndebele, and are distributed nationwide. To further information dissemination on Ostomy Care, ILCO Zim  engages audiences via mass media platforms such as local news papers, Television and Radio programs.  

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It has been noted that women and children are not adequately covered, therefor the organization seeks to give wider attention and support to women and children.

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OUR HISTORY:

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Through the facilitation of Lizzie Moyo and her family, ILCO Zimbabwe Trust is an organization that came into existence in the year 2007 with the main objective of advocating for the needs and interests of all ostomates in Zimbabwe. The idea to form this organization came out of the realization that there was a gap in the Zimbabwean health care system for the care of ostomates and experiences which the Moyo family went through as they battled to save Lizzie’s life before and after operation.

After the operation Lizzie was battling to get her medical materials and the services required were very expensive or unavailable in the health institutions in the country. It was after a torrid experience, characterized by a number of difficulties and challenges in taking care of Lizzie, that the Moyo family considered other ostomates similar to Lizzie who were in various circumstances including rural areas and poor urban areas. As it turns out, many were also facing similar challenges in taking care of themselves and the Moyo family decided to mobilize other ostomates and their families around Zimbabwe in an attempt to advocate for their special needs and interests thereby contributing to the goal of serving lives and improving health care for the Ostomates..