Leprosy is a highly stigmatized disease which leads to various other problems for affected people such as mental depression, identity loss, low self-esteem, discrimination, inequality of status and social exclusion. With time social & mental health repercussions get more worse than physical disabilities. They also face poor access to government services & available facilities in terms of medical treatment and other beneficiary schemes meant for marginalized people.
SELF – STIGMA is another critical issue where leprosy affected people hide their disease and left their residence, society on their own with a fear of social exclusion and creates self – stigma within themselves.
NLR India Foundation has adopted a strategy which is a people – centred approach, which starts with interventions targeting the intrapersonal level, to empower affected persons to assist in the development and implementation of stigma-reduction programmes at community level that is Community based Rehabilitation. To reduce discrimination significantly, single Level & single- target group approaches are not enough.
We promote social inclusion by providing following
Personality Development Workshops
To boost up confidence, increase the capabilities & motivates them to express freely
Integrated Self-care – Practicing self – care together in a group
Trainings to heal ulcers, improve functioning of paralytic hands/feet and to preserve eye sight.
Education Support to children of affected people to make them equivalent to normal family children
Provision of stationary, bags, uniforms, life skills trainings, tuition support etc.
Strengthening of Disabled Person’s Organization
Capacity building of DPOs for self-advocacy towards disability inclusive development
Vocational training of youth to empower them
Supporting youths for skill development through various vocational training courses
Livelihood Promotion to make them self reliant
Livelihood enhancement support to persons and families affected by leprosy
One important method of stigma reduction is “Knowledge & awareness – knowing the facts about Leprosy”