Why Gouwo left her job and village

This beaming face belongs to Gouwo. She used to be a Nurse Aid and worked at Port Moresby General Hospital when she was younger. She actually met her husband there and they married and had children. Along with her relatives they lived together in a squatter settlement. Gouwo was happy. She used to enjoy her colleagues’ company—they would share food, chat and laugh together.

One day, Gowou noticed that her skin was thickening on her face and earlobes. Curious, she visited the doctor to understand why this was occurring. The doctor diagnosed her with leprosy and placed her on Multi-Drug Therapy to treat her leprosy.

Afterwards, Gowou became worried about what others might think of her having leprosy. Fear of disgrace started to seize her thoughts. What would her family think? Her workmates? Her community? Gowou withdrew from other people. She stopped her normal daily activities to avoid people. She even quit her job at the hospital. Gowou decided to return to her childhood home at Tire ‘ere village in South Fly. There she might be able to conceal her condition from others. Fortunately her family went with her, and her relatives helped support her as she underwent treatment. Some of the local villagers became frightened when she fell ill—would they get leprosy too? Would they fall ill because of Gouwo? Yet other villagers overcame the stigma and helped pay for a boat fare for her to get further medical help on Daru Island.

Her family continued to support her as she recovered and completed her Multi-Drug Therapy. With her family’s reassurances and your help, Gowou slowly returned to a regular life. She is no longer working in a professional capacity, but she volunteers in several health-related activities. She assists with births in her village, supports tuberculosis patients and advocates for people affected by HIV/AIDs. Most recently, Gowou has become an ambassador for The Leprosy Mission in her community. She’s proud that her peers appointed her to these responsibilities. It makes her feel accepted and valued by her community. Because of your support, Gowou is smiling again. Now she can help other people affected by leprosy. Thank you!