Living their days as outcasts

1. Living their days as outcasts Leprosy victims

2. Reason for my title choice • The leprosy victims are treated like outcasts. • Families abandon them upon knowing they contracted the illness. • People of the society looking at them differently • They carry on with their lives, even though it is painful. • Their way of living is no different from living alone in a jungle. • Overall, they have to carry on living, till their death, as outcasts.

3. Purpose this project is aimed at: • Enhance my general knowledge. Before starting on this project, I did not know what is leprosy. • Enhance my moral values. I will learn why I should not be prejudice against these victims • Learn and understand more about leprosy victims. During the whole journey of learning, I will definitely know a lot more better about leprosy. • Learn how to treat this victims like ordinary people. It is unfair for the victims to be treated differently. • Improve my standard of English Language. I will have to come out with interview questions which require good English.

4. Facts on leprosy Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, an acid-fast, rod-shaped bacillus. The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and also the eyes, apart from some other structures. Leprosy has afflicted humanity since time immemorial. It once affected every continent and it has left behind a terrifying image in history and human memory - of mutilation, rejection and exclusion from society. Leprosy has struck fear into human beings for thousands of years, and was well recognized in the oldest civilizations of China, Egypt and India. A cumulative total of the number of individuals who, over the millennia, have suffered its chronic course of incurable disfigurement and physical disabilities can never be calculated.

5. Facts on leprosy • Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, an acid-fast, rod-shaped bacillus. • The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and also the eyes, apart from some other structures. • Leprosy has afflicted humanity since time immemorial. It once affected every continent and it has left behind a terrifying image in history and human memory - of mutilation, rejection and exclusion from society. • Leprosy has struck fear into human beings for thousands of years, and was well recognized in the oldest civilizations of China, Egypt and India. • A cumulative total of the number of individuals who, over the millennia, have suffered its chronic course of incurable disfigurement and physical disabilities can never be calculated.

6. Facts on leprosy • Since ancient times, leprosy has been regarded by the community as a contagious, mutilating and incurable disease. • There are many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America with a significant number of leprosy cases. • It is estimated that there are between one and two million people visibly and irreversibly disabled due to past and present leprosy who require to be cared for by the community in which they live. • When M.leprae was discovered by G.A. Hansen in 1873, it was the first bacterium to be identified as causing disease in man. • However, treatment for leprosy only appeared in the late 1940s with the introduction of dapsone, and its derivatives. Leprosy bacilli resistant to dapsone gradually appeared and became widespread.

7. Some pictures of leprosy victims

8. Interview Questions • What is leprosy? • Where do your sources come from? • Are your sources reliable? • Who are the main victims of leprosy? • How does people contract by leprosy? • Is leprosy infectious? • What is the origin of leprosy? • What are the symptoms of leprosy? • Can leprosy be passed down genetically? • What if your family have this illness, how would u feel? • If you had contracted this illness, what will you do? • Can a person die because of leprosy? • Would you visit SILRA, home for leprosy victims? • Was there an occasion when you came in close contact with leprosy victims? • Have you seen a seen a leprosy victim Would you feel disturbed looking at them?

9. Interview Questions • Are you afraid of leprosy victims? • What happens if a person contracts leprosy, how will people treat him? • Do you think that these victims have a place to stay in? • Do you think their families will take care of them? • Why do you think they would do that? • Should leprosy victims be accepted by the society? • Do you think leprosy victims have any education? • How will you treat a leprosy victim? • Can leprosy be cured? • If so, what do you think might cure them? • Will you be friends with a leprosy victim? • If your friend is a leprosy victim, will you help him? • Why do you think people fear leprosy victims? • Do you think leprosy victims should be treated this way?

10. Interview Questions • Would you change your thinking on leprosy victims if I tell you that some leprosy victims are homeless? • The victims are struggling for survival, would you help them? • If you were to put yourself in their shoes, how would you feel if people do not want to help you? • After all that, would you still have the same perspective? • What do you think leprosy victims do in their entire life? • Do you thing leprosy victims are outcasts? • If your child were to visit a leprosy home, would you allow them? • Why do you feel that way? • In your opinion, in what way can you help the leprosy victims? • Should the government organize talks to let people know more about leprosy victims? • Do you think SILRA should do more in letting people know about them? • Do you believe that everyone has a part to play, to create a better future for leprosy victims?

11. Interview

12. 3 Difficulties • Difficult to find time to interview. When I am at home, my father is always working. When he is home, I am not back from school. My mother is home all the time but she does not know anything. • Difficult to know what it is like having the illness. My class was supposed to go to SILRA to visit the leprosy victims but was cancelled due to the many people not wanting to go. This have ruin my opportunity of getting information from the victims. • Difficult to think of the questions for the interview. It took me 2 hours to think of all the questions I have crafted.

13. 2 Things I have learnt • I have learnt that people should not be prejudice against this • victims. It is unfair as they do not even want the illness. • I have also learnt that I should treasure and enjoy my life well. • These leprosy victims have to face suffering everyday. I am very • luck not to lave this illness.

14. 1 Thing in the Future When I grow up, I will go to SILRA and visit these leprosy victims. I would help them all that I can do. I will also get some friends to help me. I may organize some talk to enhance the understanding of leprosy of the people in society so they would not treat the victims differently. Everyone has a part to play to create a better future for the leprosy victims. If I can do it, so can you.

15. The End Done by: Noel Teo 3B (30)