Empowering people affected by leprosy

Many people affected by leprosy in Myanmar are active members of organisations of persons with disability that represent a wide range of disabilities. However, they felt that they needed a way to address their specific needs and concerns.

To respond to this need, The Leprosy Mission Myanmar supported persons affected by leprosy in Myanmar to launch their own organisation, MAPAL, the Myanmar Association of Persons Affected by Leprosy. Since 2018, MAPAL has been representing people affected by leprosy and advocating for their rights, working alongside the government and other organisations to create a more accepting and inclusive society.

MAPAL’s work today: one of Myanmar’s most powerful leprosy organisations

MAPAL has grown steadily since 2018 and now has over 300 members in 15 different locations across Myanmar. Together, MAPAL and TLMM act as strategic partners to the National Leprosy Control Programme (NLCP) and collaborate with them to reduce leprosy transmission, disability and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and ensure their human rights.

In the few years since their inception, MAPAL have become one of the most significant partners in the fight to defeat leprosy in Myanmar. MAPAL’s members engage closely with The Leprosy Mission’s projects, especially those that related to raising awareness, finding new cases of leprosy, reducing discrimination, and peer counselling.

The future of MAPAL

As a young organisation, MAPAL is still looking to grow and increase its independence. The Leprosy Mission will work alongside MAPAL’s leaders to grow its organisational skills and capacity to function independently, and to give voice and visibility to the needs of its members.

The Leprosy Mission is going to work alongside MAPAL’s teams to provide training in key areas of organisational management. This includes training leprosy, leadership, English-language skills, IT, communications, safeguarding, and more.

We are committed to working alongside MAPAL to ensure they are an organisation with a bright future and the potential to be a strong, consistent, and valuable voice for the rights and needs of persons affected by leprosy across the country.