 Background. Podoconiosis non-filarial elephantiasis affects some of the poorest people in 20 countries in the world. In Ethiopia least 3 million people are affected with 17 million at risk. Irritant minerals smectite, mica and quartz from volcanic soil and pathogens enter skin breaches in the feet causing inflammation, lymphoedema and hyperkeratosis. Podoconiosis is preventable and treatable but is not curable. Current treatment consists of educating those with disease on its causes, prevention and treatment. Treatment taught in the Action on Podoconiosis APA Clinics consists of a daily hygiene regimen of washing the feetlegs with soap, soaking the feet and legs in water with sodium hypochlorite NaOCI 0.0125 added as a disinfectant, air drying and the application of a thin layer of petrolatum jelly. Whitfields ointment benzoic acid and salicylic acid is applied to any fungal infections. Wearing shoes is encouraged but this does not offer complete protection against the alkaline soil. 