The Leprosy Mission Southern Africa has long experience of the realities of the daily lives not only of people affected by leprosy, but also of those with disabilities as a result of other conditions. Since the prevalence of leprosy in South Africa is low, a survey was conducted in 2006 and 2007 with the purpose of discovering gaps in services for people with general physical disability in rural areas.

The resultant study made the following recommendations:

• Psychosocial and self-esteem development for people with disability.
• An empowerment programme for the many support groups for disabled people that exist or that can be established to address their situations.
• Community awareness programmes that are driven by disabled people themselves and addressed at behaviour and attitude change leading to the inclusion of people with impairments or disabilities. 

Erna Möller with Girl Affected by Leprosy
Photo credit © The Leprosy Mission South Africa

During the survey, one of the contacts made by The Leprosy Mission Southern Africa was with Disability Connexion, led by Barbara Watt, who uses a wheelchair. Barbara Watt has gathered together a group of people with disabilities who work as a team to reach out to other people with disabilities and help them find a meaningful life. They also promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in churches through positive attitudes and ensuring buildings are accessibility. The Leprosy Mission Southern Africa has already begun collaborating with Disability Connexion. Together they have agreed to promote a Disability Sunday throughout the whole church in South Africa, with the first one planned for 30^th August 2009. The Leprosy Mission has taken on responsibility for developing a resource pack for churches in conjunction with the Disability Connexion team. It is likely it may take about 18 months to collate the material that will encourage a disability-friendly community. The materials will include: information about disability in general, the desire of people who are affected by disabilities to be involved with the church, the inaccessibility of churches, a sound theological perspective on disability, perceptions of diversity, empowerment of people affected by disabilities so that they can play a leading role in the church if they wish and in the advocacy process and ways to support families with a relative who is affected by a disability.

Erna Möller
TLM Psychosocial Programme Manager for South Africa

Categories: South Africa