“Because we have been pushed to live there”!

“Didi, people are not friendly with us so far in the outside world, they always tease us because we live in a leprosy colony”, when 19 years old girl was telling this to me then her eyes were full of tears.

This September, when I visited one of the leprosy colonies in Chhattisgarh, the people there were expressing the similar experiences. I witnessed the unusual silence and sadness in these colonies.

It seemed the Leprosy-affected people due to the social stigma against the leprosy disease due to its disfigurement causes, the victims are getting isolated and shunned from the mainstream society.

Leprosy is one of the least infectious diseases as nearly everyone has some measure of natural resistance against it. This is also the leading cause of permanent disability in the world and is primarily a disease of the poor as many reports says. It currently affects approximately a quarter of million people across the world but the majority of these cases are found in India. Apparently India is the origin of Leprosy and currently running one of the largest leprosy eradication program in the world, it is called NLEP: National Leprosy Eradication Program. This issue can be majorly seen in 13 states of India, mostly the north and middle areas.

World Health Organisation (WHO) and other research reports state that 58.85% of new leprosy cases in the world are in India. In 2013-14, 1.27 lakhs new cases of leprosy were diagnosed.

Social stigma associated with Leprosy is forcing Leprosy-affected people to stay away from their village and settle in colonies demarcated for them.

People are coming from different parts of India and living together by building their own small huts or tents, struggling to get access for the basic amenities. It is sad to see how they’re being treated as untouchables in most places.

In fact, Leprosy-affected people are not only facing the social discrimination, they are ignored by the Law as well. Laws in the states of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Orissa prohibit leprosy patients from running for representation at local elections. These laws have been supported by the national government, as evidenced when Supreme Court of India upheld a ruling by the State of Orissa prohibiting leprosy patients from participating in local elections. Other laws include the Indian Rail Act of 1990 which prohibits leprosy patients from traveling by train; the Motor Vehicle Act of 1939 which restricts leprosy patients from obtaining a driving license and they not been updated!

In this aspect there are some organisations like Pratham Education Foundation, the project which I was handling is to bring Leprosy-affected people to the mainstream. Pratham Institute, the vocational skilling wing of Pratham, has trained nearly 200 candidates since 2013-14 with support from SASAKAWA India Leprosy Foundation. Here I would like to mention a case of Shiv.

There is still a huge need for support for these affected people which need to be addressed as soon as possible. The social stigma associated with Leprosy has to be eradicated, as
Leprosy is a curable disease and awareness of this has to reach everyone so that the victims do not suffer.

I am ending this piece with a quote by St. Mother Teresa, “The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis but rather the feeling of being unwanted”

 

 

 

 

Flying over!

Centre of the Halle, The Markt-Platz

Oh Halle! I miss you, you are so calm and beautiful, I still remember the first day when I arrived and shocked after seeing only building and parked cars in front of that but I did
not see any people on the street! Hence that was the summer and people were mostly travelling, Halle is one of the cities known for most of the old people live and the architecture is beautiful and it also has the good history.
Stayed in Germany for one year in the year of 2014 August to August 2015, I was in totally different world, for my family and villagers it was proud moment and first time a girl from the village went so far away, Yes, I did it and I have selected as international volunteer and I stayed the city called Halle an der Saale. Halle (Saale) situated in the Saxony Anhalt state of East Germany. The name has originated by salt making, also the river Saale used to salt-harvesting, it just contained around 236,991 populations that tim

The sights to explore:

• The “big church called “Market Church of St.Mary (Markt
  kirche)”, built in 1529-1554, along with the “Roter Turm (Red Tower, from the top of this tower you can see the whole city view) is located in the central and besides that there is another market place normally the “flee markt” the second hand/antique market takes place, which I loved.
• In the market place there is a big monument of George Frideric Handel, who is the famous music composer born in Halle.
• Halle Cathedral: This magnificent cathedral dates all the way back to 1271, the oldest religious building in Halle
• State Museum of Pre-history,where the Nebra sky disk is exhibited
• Beatles museum and the Salt museums are also interesting to see
• Theatres: Halle opera House, Neues Theater, Puppentheather, Thalia Theater, the only theatre for children in Saxony Anhalt
• Halloren Chocolate Factory and visitors’ centre, Germany’s oldest chocolate factory
• Geiebichenstein Castle, first mentioned in 961, is north of the city centre on a hill above the Saale river, with a museum in the upper castle and the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design in the lower castle.
• Moritzburg a newer castle, was built between 1484 and 1503. It was the residence of the Archbishops of Magdeburg, was destroyed in the thirty years war, and was a ruin for centuries afterward. Partially reconstructed in 1901-1913, it is an art gallery today. The reconstruction was completed with the opening of new exhibition rooms designed by the Spanish architects Sobejano and Nieto in 2010.
• Well, Halle is known for the river called Saale and for the nature lover it is very beautiful and funny thing was they host the guest by taking you around the river! Every year the famous festival happens in October or September called Laternfest on the bank of the river, the lighting festival and this is also one of the best time to visit, riverside is the place to relax, picnic, playing and in the winter when the snow falls then children make the snow man,
• On the another part of the city called “Neustadt” known for many migrants and refugees lives there.

Tips for city seeing

You can get almost all the facilities within the city, one of my favorite places in the city was the central market place (markt-platz in German) where many creative things, street arts takes place and all the big shops like Galleria, One euro shops are centered, the same place effected during the world war-II. There is one street called Leipziger Straß where there are many nice shops around and on that street vehicles are not allowed, also this street connects to the railway station, another interesting thing is I found out the “Bollywood shop” where the Indian based women running the shop and you will get the Indian stationaries and gifts item, whenever I get bored I used go there and talk with the shopkeeper “Aunty” talk in Hindi just to feel something better. Many people identified me as Indian on the street and used to ask lots of questions about Indian culture!

Every day I used to walk to my workplace though I have got a bicycle I like to explore the city by walking, most of the places re walkable distance otherwise the local travels is also very good, very cleaned and systematically maintained streets! On the way to my workplace I see every day many coffee cafes, the oldest University of Germany: Martin Luther University, during the college time I can see many international students as well, also the central post office situated which has the big clock on the top and every day it helps me to track my timings to reach workplace.

There were Indian restaurants called house of India and garden of India on the way, also the beautiful city garden located on the way, time to time the flowers and the pond was maintained. During the weekend whenever I am free then I used to go for just walk and I enjoyed that the most because of the many people roaming around and many street arts and events takes place. During December month the whole city decorated and the Christmas market takes place, which you never miss to see, just amazing in the dark winter.

When you come to the food, oh god! For the vegetarians it is very difficult, I used to buy the stuffs from the Indian and Asian shops and also from the nearby supermarket called “Penny” which is very cheap comparing to other supermarket, Penny is just 3 minutes from the home where I was staying, I miss shopping in Penny. If I will not mention about the apple then it will not be fair, Yes, I ate apples enough for my whole life, you will get many kinds of apple and I used go to the garden outside the city and pluck the apples , I also eat lots of fresh strawberries and many other kinds of berries.

On the bank of Saale river.

Well, people from other side of Germany used to called as “Dunkle Deauthland (Dark Germany) “ to Halle, for me my host family and my guest mother was everything and the house and the separate room given to me was unforgettable, The museum and the Saale river, many churches are good to visit, the authentic food like many kinds of breads are suggested to taste, during the time of Christmas and Latern fest the best time to visit or else summer and autumn seasons are always good.  Still remember all the shops and the smiley greetings of the shopkeepers, my favorite streets, many kinds of fruits specially apple and strawberries, my many friends, mainly my guest mother and the house, Halle, I wish I visit you once again in my life.

Shweta.