Folklore that Foster

Folklore that Foster

Philipose Vaidyar

Can songs remove stigma?

Will songs spread awareness on and prevent leprosy and disability?

“Yes”, tells the story of Jiten Kumar Yadav and Moti Ram from a village in Champa, Chattisgarh, India.

Though physically handicapped by polio, Jiten is differentially abled. He is a singer and the organizer of a folk theatre group. He came in contact with CADIP* (a community project of the Leprosy Mission conducted in 10 districts in India) through Din Dayal one of the volunteers in Champa, Chattisgarh. The folklore troop has 12 members including four girls. On invitations, the group takes up the dissemination of information or spread messages in the villages on behalf of the local government. Moti Ram composes songs, plays the music and leads the theatre. The drummers and different accompaniers become actors at the show. Depending up on the season and the message to be spread, the troop shapes the team and tours the villages during the mid day or evenings. An average programme may be for an hour and a half.

Moti Ram and Jiten were willing to give their ‘voice for the differentially abled’ in the villages of Champa district. Moti Ram composed songs with all the components of the project. Information of leprosy, treatments, multi drug therapy, surgery and cure, stigma, prevention of disability, vaccinations, genetic and antenatal counseling, marriages among close relatives, all these became live and interesting in local tunes. At first in 25 days, the troop presented programmes in 68 major villages. But on other invitations the group continued to travel to several more villages, and also sang CADIP songs irrespective of the kind of event. According to Jitend, they have covered more than 500 villages.

“People never came out openly to confirm if they had leprosy. They used to hide. But now they know it is curable and they themselves will go to hospital.” Says Moti Ram. During one of the early shows, Moti Ram himself had a doubt about a patch on his hand. He showed it to the CADIP staff and they could identify it easily! In the programmes that continued, Moti Ram cited his own example and he could see the difference. As the tour continued, Moti Ram had postponed his treatment plan. At yet another event, a villager approached Moti Ram and he was able to identify him as affected with leprosy! Later, both of them went to the TLM hospital and are continuing the treatment.

“The awareness has increased very much and people know the early symptoms of leprosy. When I tell my own story people come forward. Once we identify the people, we refer them to the TLM hospital”. Moti Ram added. According to the medical superintendant of TLM hospital, Champa, there were 96 new cases of leprosy during the last one year alone.

Jiten himself got an ID card with 45% disability. He started getting a monthly pension of Rs.200. He also acquired a loan of Rs.9,000 from a commercial bank and started an electrical repair shop along with a partner who had invested Rs.55,000. A tricycle for him from the government was due in two days time. Jiten started helping other physically disabled people too. Coming to know about his initiatives and services, the district collector gave Jiten a cash prize of Rs.500 and granted special full free train pass- in general coaches. (The disabled in Chattisgarh get a concession for travel in public transport).

Jiten and Moti Ram continue to work for the affected and disabled as unpaid volunteers. They are happy that they are able to be part of CADIP awareness programmes and sing new songs for people. “I would not have come to know about my disease but by CADIP” says Moti Ram.

Comments on the post can be sent to Philipose.Vaidyar@tlmindia.org

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*CADIP- Community Awareness and Disability Impairment Prevention.

A community based awareness and rehabilitation project of The Leprosy Misssion Trust (TLM) India**.

Partner with TLM in working towards a World without Leprosy!

To know more about TLM visit: http://tlmindia.org/