Leprosy Mailing List – August 3, 2015
Ref.: (LML) Socio-economic rehabilitation: habitat for people affected by leprosy
From: Arry Pongtiku, Irian Jaya, Indonesia
Dear Pieter,
Thank you for sharing and updating all comments of social-economic rehabilitation issue which was first raised by Dr Harun. I also could not avoid myself not to give comments. I would like to add an old quotation regarding empowerment, the quotation on the tombstone, partly from Lao Tsu in 500 BC (from a book written David Morley and Herminone Lovel, 1986 “My name is to day, that said.......”):
Go in search of your people
Love them
Learn from them
Plan with them
Serve them
Begin with what they know
Build on what they have
But of the best of leaders
When their task is accomplished
Their work is done
The people all remark
"We have done it ourselves"
About leprosy settlements
My limited experience about habitat of people affected by leprosy, anyway, we have been trying to convince the local government for the old leprosarium (settlement of Mangurai, in Teluk Wondama) to be a cultural heritage (not yet finished). The medical history in the land of Papua started from this place Mangurai. The old buildings of the leprosy hospital and houses are still there and a small church with nice decoration made by leprosy carpenters. Mangurai was the first leprosarium in Papua, built by Dr Leiker (founder of NLR). Now the biggest church in Wondama has been built in the settlement, what means that stigma of leprosy is not an issue anymore. I hope and dream people there (still few leprosy patients and their families/ offspring are living there) can be empowered and the place can be a part of tourism (holy tour) because Wondama and Manokwari have an historical background of Christianity.
Regarding another leprosy settlement in Papua in Sorong, named Km12: because of expansion of the town, the land of the leprosy settlement is being used for developing new buildings and houses. People Affected by Leprosy and their families complain about this situation, which will be hard on them.
I hope any leprosy settlement/habitat of people affected by leprosy is not treated exclusively but inclusively to reduce stigma. Probably making SWOT analysis, planning with people and local government, and stakeholders may be helpful. Empowerment is also a challenge.
Regards,
ARRY PONGTIKU
LML - S Deepak, B Naafs, S Noto and P Schreuder
LML blog link: http://leprosymailinglist.blogspot.it/
Contact: Dr Pieter Schreuder << editorlml@gmail.com
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