KIT Blog

You can promote education and financial independence and stop leprosy discrimination today! 

Parma has volunteered with The Leprosy Mission Trust India for more than a decade. Today she helps monitor 10 Self-Help Groups across 3 villages. These groups have become an important way for women to find their voice, both literally and as leaders within their communities.

‘Initially the women used to cover themselves when they attended the meetings. They could not even speak a single sentence. They were shy and had no information about their social, economic, and political rights.’

Parma also teaches women in the adult literacy class. She facilitates advocacy with the village council, and informs the community about leprosy, health, and gender equality. Through her efforts as an advocate for girl’s education, 50 girl children started going to school in 2017. Around 9-10 dropouts are also identified every year and encouraged to resume their studies.

Over the last eight years the Self-Help Groups have changed significantly. They are now a strong and united group, with increased capabilities to secure loans to help improve their livelihoods. The women ensure the school children are being well fed at the government school and childcare. The men are supportive of their wives. They know the women are effective communicators who use their connections to help resolve community issues.

Parma is now twenty-five and has resumed her own education, working towards completing Year 12.

‘Earlier girls were not sent to schools. I also did not complete my education because the inter school was not in the village. I want to continue my studies and achieve something’

Parma wants to continue working with women to help them achieve financial independence. Volunteering has given her the opportunity to gain and practice new skills while bringing about lasting change for members of her community.

Pray for Parma as she continues to promote education and advocacy to bring lasting change for people affected by leprosy.

Pray for the Self-Help Groups to provide sustainable livelihoods for their members and contribute to their communities. 

Your kind heart can provide monthly Total Loving Cure (TLC) to people affected by leprosy in India. Together, we can stop leprosy discrimination in India. https://www.leprosymission.org.au/projects/tlc-India

Parma encourages Self-Help Groups to advocate with the village council to bring about change.

Your kindness can help people like Parma stop discrimination.