UNAIR NEWS– Inriza Yuliandari, student of PSDKU Community Health Program at Universitas in Banyuwangi, participated in 9th Nganget International Work Camp (NIWC) 2018 program on Thursday, September 6 held by Leprosy Care Community Indonesia (LCCI), an Indonesian leprosy caring community.
LCC 2018 Leader Putu Arya revealed that LCC Indonesia is a social community that cares about discrimination against leprosy and people with leprosy.Its mission is to reduce discrimination for people who have leprosy, through intelligence and community empowerment in a family way.
“One of the flagship programs is Nganget International Work Camp (NIWC) and Donorejo International Work Camp (DIWC).NIWC is located in Nganget Hamlet, Tuban, East Java, while DIWC is located in Donorejo, Jepara, Central Java.Both are the locations of leprosy rehabilitation villages, “he continued.
Inriza said, 9th NIWC in 2018 was themed “Break The Chain Make A Change”.There were 30studentvolunteersfrom Japan and Indonesia with high commitment and motivation involved.
They were also chosen because of their willingness to interact with people who have leprosy.The activity was held for two weeks, from Monday, August 13 to Monday, August 26.The goal was to reduce discrimination against people with leprosy.
“People here chose to live in Nganget since being diagnosed with leprosy.The reason is, when they live in their neighborhood they feel isolated.They are underestimated because leprosy is considered a curse and contagious disease, “said Inriza.
“Not a few were thrown out by their families because they were embarrassed and could not accept their current condition.Almost all of them feel more comfortable staying in Nganget.Even until the end of their lives, they feel more welcome here than having to go back to their hometown, “he added.
In fact, according to Inriza, in terms of health, leprosy or leprosy transmission is not easy.Mycoobacterium lepraebacteriatake six months to 40 years to develop in the human body.
Signs and symptoms of leprosy appear 1 to 20 years after bacteria infect the body.Direct contact with the skin of lepers does not transmit the disease.So, it is not proper for the community to isolate former lepers.
Indonesia currently has several hospitals for lepers.The treatment is free of charged.
We had time to do homevisit to former leprosy houses in Nganget.Most who live in the village were the elderly.They were very friendly,humble, with high social spirit.
“During our stay, we were often given food from their fields such as cassava, bananas, corn, mango, and papaya,” he said.
“Even though they did not eat rice every day, they only rely on their harvest and donor funds from foundation.We also made access to tombs in their environment through our program.Every year there is awork projectfrom LCC for them, “he added.(*)
Author: Siti Mufaidah
Editor: Feri Fenoria Rifa’I
