ABOUT US

The Social Sciences for Severe Stigmatising Skin Conditions (5S) Foundation at BSMS was established in 2019 and will run until August 2023. The programme is a £3.5 million collaborative research partnership between BSMS and the Mycetoma Research Centre in Sudan, the Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA) based at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, the University of Rwanda and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS).

VISION

Our vision is a Foundation that will end neglect of three conditions (podoconiosis, mycetoma and scabies) through bringing the social sciences to bear on these conditions in our DAC-listed partner countries. Podoconiosis is a progressive, debilitating form of leg swelling experienced by barefoot farmers, mycetoma a slow-growing, destructive infection of the skin and underlying tissues, and scabies an extremely itchy infectious condition caused by skin-burrowing mites. These conditions are huge public health problems in the three countries in which the 5S Foundation will work: Ethiopia, Sudan and Rwanda. In Ethiopia the project will work on two of the conditions (podoconiosis and scabies).

AIMS

Situational Aims

• To examine the cultural logics and social and economic contexts of the selected NTDs, utilizing cross cutting social science perspectives;
• To understand the dynamics and dimensions of stigma;
• To investigate how all three diseases have been conceptualized at the national and international policy levels;
• To evaluate existing interventions in areas in which they have already been developed;

Strategic Aims

• To refine a framework developed to identify gaps in understanding of the social contexts and consequences of podoconiosis, mycetoma and scabies;
• To develop a comprehensive intervention strategy for each disease utilising all the evidence gathered from the above;

Capacity Building Aims

• To support endemic-country training posts (PhD and postdoctoral) in a manner that will leave enduring capacity for social science research across a range of local health priorities, including NTDs;
• To facilitate South-South and North-South sharing of best practice in research and advocacy applicable to a wide range of stigmatising conditions in low-resource, low-literacy settings.

PARTNERS

Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) is an equal partnership between the Universities of Sussex and Brighton together with NHS organisations throughout the South East region. The arrangements for the school's governance reflect this approach and students are awarded joint BM BS degrees of both universities.

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Mycetoma Research Centre

The Mycetoma Research Centre (MRC) is a global leader in mycetoma management and research. The Centre was set up in 1991, at the University of Khartoum, and in 2015 was recognised as a WHO collaborating centre on mycetoma.

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Contacts:
Dr Sahar M Bakhiet, Project Manager - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Professor Ahmed Hassan Fahal, Centre Leader - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

University of Rwanda

The University of Rwanda strives to be a leading University that develops highly enterprising graduates prepared and dedicated to building a more just and sustainable society locally, nationally and globally, with appropriate innovations that advance quality of life.

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Contacts:
Dr Peter Mugume - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

OSSREA

The Organization for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA) is a regional membership-based and donor-supported research and capacity-building organisation whose mission is to promote dialogue and interaction between researchers and policy-makers in Eastern and Southern Africa with a view to enhancing the impact of research on policy-making and development planning.

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Contacts:
Professor Getnet Tadele - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

IDS

The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) is a global research and learning organisation for equitable and sustainable change. In partnership with the University of Sussex, IDS is ranked first in the world for development studies by the QS University Rankings. IDS believe passionately that cutting-edge research, knowledge and mutual learning are crucial in shaping the transformations needed to reduce inequalities, accelerate sustainability and build more inclusive and secure societies. In line with our engaged excellence approach, we are committed to collaborating closely with local civil society, governments, international NGOs, citizens, donors, researchers and many others to realise this positive change.

Contacts:
Tom Barker - Senior Health and Nutrition Convenor: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Karine Gatellier – Nutrition Convenor: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CONTACT US

Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA)
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
website: www.ossrea.net
Tel: +251111239484
Twitter: @OSSREA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ossreaHQ/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/OSSREA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ossrea1
Telegram: https://t.me/Ethiopia_5S_Foundation