The Leprosy Mission International recently announced this year's winners of its Wellesley Bailey Awards. We reprint here, with their kind permission, their press release, in which the extraordinary lives of Mr Koichi Kondo and Ms Nevis Mary are described.

Two people affected by leprosy have won international honours for their work challenging society's attitude to the disease.

Mr Koichi Kondo, 80, from Japan and Ms Nevis Mary, 49, from India, were named winners of the 2007 international Wellesley Bailey Awards at a ceremony in Switzerland early this month.

The two awardees inspired the panel of judges with their life stories. Both were diagnosed with leprosy as young people and both suffered from society's misunderstanding of the disease.

Dr John Clement, International Chairman of the Board of The Leprosy Mission and chair of the panel of judges, presented the awards in Switzerland on 5 June. He said, "It was hard to choose a winner with so many people setting a positive example. But Mr Koichi Kondo and Ms Nevis Mary have been and will continue to be outstanding advocates for people rejected by society. They understand only too well the suffering of the many people around the world who are isolated by their association with leprosy. Despite the challenges they faced because of the disease, Mr Koichi Kondo and Ms Nevis Mary, through sheer courage and determination, are helping overturn the burden of stigma."

A living treasure

Mr Koichi Kondo, 80, from Japan was forcibly exiled to a sanatorium when he was diagnosed with leprosy at the age of 11. Due to the harsh conditions there, the disease robbed him of sight and the use of his fingers. Though deformed and totally blind, Mr Kondo was inspired to form a band to help raise morale. Using his tongue and lips to learn to read music scores in Braille, Mr Kondo formed the Blue Bird Band that went on to inspire and empower many other people affected by leprosy. His achievements, as a totally blind person, to learn to read Braille, write music scores, train and conduct other handicapped blind people to learn and play music to the level of performing publicly, is nothing short of astonishing. Playing music on multiple harmonicas, Mr Kondo still helps raise awareness of the stigma faced today by people because of leprosy.

An inspiration to women

Ms Nevis Mary from India was diagnosed with leprosy as a young adult. She was rejected from her family, driven out of jobs, threatened with violence and even considered taking her own life because of the discrimination she suffered. But she went on to become an international advocate for the rejected and people affected by leprosy, most recently as a Human Rights representative at the UN in Geneva.

Both Wellesley Bailey winners gave moving speeches after they were presented with their awards by Dr Clement. "I am very honoured to be chosen as a recipient of the award," said Mr Kondo. "This is the first ever international recognition given to my dear friends, the Blue Bird Band members, most of whom have already left this world; left with little or no recognition nor reward for their efforts and lie quietly in the graveyard.  I am sure they are also very happy for this award."

Ms Nevis Mary said, "I consider this award to be for what I will do in the future. There are so many people whose lives need to be lifted up. People need to be aware that leprosy is curable and that there should be no stigma. I will work hard to eliminate the stigma and to restore the dignity of people affected by leprosy."

 

THE WINNERS' STORIES

The Blue Bird Band - A Lasting Gift

Mr Kondo developed the symptoms of leprosy when he was just 9 years old. In 1931, at 11 years of age, he was sent to live in a government run leprosy sanatorium on an island of Japan. To protect his family from shame, he was forced to change his name.

During the following five decades, before a cure for leprosy was found, he was forced to live in exile with others who had the infection. He watched one in six of his fellow residents die after the harsh war years of the 1940s and he lost all his fingers and his eyesight to leprosy.

But Mr Kondo wasn't beaten. To lift himself and the island residents out of their desperation he went on to learn music and form a band. He learned Braille - using the only parts of his body with sensation, his tongue and lips - to learn to read, then write and compose music. The Blue Bird Band was formed with 12 players, only two were sighted and only one had undamaged hands. They started with basic instruments including two cooking pan lids as cymbals, yet they went on to include Brahms and Schubert in their repertoire and to play in concerts in Japan's major cities. This, despite the law preventing leprosy affected people from leaving their hospitals, helped challenge the perception of Japanese society for people who had suffered from the disease. The repeal of the forced confinement law did not happen in Japan until 1996.

Beyond the music, however, is the transformation of individuals. Others from the island joined the band and other leprosy hospitals formed their own bands, inspired by what the original band members had achieved and the empowerment it had given them.

Mr Kondo's lasting gift is that he challenged society's attitudes and prejudices toward people affected by leprosy and helped change public opinion. A person of incredible strength who faced and overcame multiple obstacles, he touched the heart and conscience of society and demonstrated by his life that people affected by leprosy are dignified and capable individuals, no different from anyone else.

Mr Koichi Kondo was nominated for the Wellesley Bailey Award by the Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation.

Loss of parents, identity and dignity

Ms Nevis Mary, 48, was born in India to a poor cotton mill worker. She was a bright child and did well, even though her parents couldn't afford to give her the best schooling. Achieving top marks throughout her school years, it was no surprise when she was accepted to study for a degree in physics at college. She eventually graduated with merit and won a scholarship to study for a post-graduate qualification.

But at the age of 20 her world fell apart. After severe fevers and increasing deformities to her hands and feet she was admitted to hospital and, at the age of 23, was diagnosed with leprosy. Her father, unable to cope without his beloved daughter, died soon after from a heart attack. Her mother died only two years later. Despite the loss of her family - her brother and sister married and made no effort to support her - Ms Nevis Mary started tutoring schoolchildren to earn a living.

Life was beginning to look hopeful and Ms Nevis Mary started a few teaching posts. But both times the staff made an issue of the leprosy and she had to leave.

At her lowest point, Ms Nevis Mary contemplated suicide. As a single women she found it difficult to live alone; she suffered mental and physical cruelty and was faced with many physical and sexual threats.

A breakthrough came at the age of 33 when she successfully applied for a job with Indian Railways which won her much respect. To avoid the difficulties of living as a spinster she wanted to marry and her hard-won educational qualifications and new job helped her find a husband. She eventually married at the age of 35.

His family wanted them to divorce when they found out about her leprosy, but her husband was very supportive and she eventually won back respect from her own family.

Ms Nevis Mary saw the deprivation of people affected by leprosy at first hand and continues to this day to fight the cause of leprosy affected people. She has won international renown for her advocacy and recently was a representative at the 57th session of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland.  She is an active member of IDEA, encouraging leprosy-affected people to speak out for themselves.

Ms Nevis Mary is not just a role model for people affected by leprosy but for women who face hardships in more traditional societies.

Ms Nevis Mary was nominated for the Award by the National Forum of Leprosy Affected persons, India.

 

Background to the Wellesley Bailey Awards:

These unique awards were created in 1999 to honour Wellesley Bailey who founded The Leprosy Mission in Dublin in 1874. They acknowledge the accomplishments of people who have risen above the physical and psychological challenges of leprosy and made extraordinary contributions to their community and society.

Category: News and Notes