We are now in the third year of our empowerment project supported by Misereor Germany in the districts of Bantaeng and Barru in South Sulawesi. In the first two years, our young PerMaTa team, who are themselves affected by leprosy, trained and accompanied young people affected by leprosy in these two districts. Now in their third year, they are continuing activities independently and aim to form more teams in their districts. They carry out awareness-raising activities in communities and schools and offer peer support to other affected people.
Our objectives in this 3-year project are:
1. Young people affected by leprosy in Bantaeng and Barru have overcome their self-stigmatization and participate in society.
2. Fulfillment of the rights and needs of people affected by leprosy in Bantaeng and Barru has improved.
3. The concept of empowerment in youth groups of people affected by leprosy is expanding to other areas (snowball system).
The empowerment of (young) people affected by leprosy is one of the priorities of PerMaTa South Sulawesi – YDTI. This project is part of an ongoing program to bring young people affected by leprosy out of their self-isolation and to use their potential as agents of change. Once people begin to recognize their own worth, they are able to participate more in society and build independent lives. Ideally they will form their own PerMaTa districts chapters and remain active to help ending stigma and discrimination, thereby contributing to end the transmission of leprosy.
BANTAENG
