Community Mobilisation

Enabling communities to have control over their lives

Through its Community Empowerment programme, The Leprosy Mission Trust India (TLMTI) mobilises as many stakeholders as possible to raise awareness about the need to include people affected by leprosy/disability in the mainstream society. Community mobilisation helps communities remove barriers for inclusion and active participation of people affected by leprosy/disability in community activities.

To successfully mobilise a community and gain support for disability initiatives, TLMTI raises public awareness about leprosy/disability, the situation in which the affected people live, and the issues and problems they face. It helps them understand why it matters and what action they can take to bring about a change. The programme uses different types of media, such as street theatre, films, posters and radio, to raise awareness and create positive attitudes towards people affected by leprosy/disability. TLMTI motivates community members to address disability issues and work for inclusive development. It organises regular meetings of the affected people with other stakeholders in the community. Balance of power is maintained in the meetings to ensure that vulnerable groups (people affected by leprosy/disability) are not excluded and disempowered. Opportunities are created to bring different stakeholders within the community together to participate in community activities. It celebrates achievements towards inclusion within the community with various stakeholders. This is to keep their motivation flying high and ensure their continued participation.