Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Initiative conducted a series of leprosy awareness activities in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, in partnership with Miss Supranational 2024 crown holder, Miss Harashta Haifa Zahra on 26 and 27 August, 2024. The activities were carried out in collaboration with PerMaTa Indonesia, an organization of persons affected by leprosy, and its support organization Yayasan Dedikasi Tjipta Indonesia (YDTI).
Miss Harashta Haifa Zahra, the first Indonesian to win the Miss Supranational crown, was born in West Java in 2003. She is currently pursuing a degree in environmental engineering at the National Institute of Technology Bandung (ITENAS).
Indonesia has the third highest number of leprosy cases in the world, and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy remains a significant issue. PerMaTa’s South Sulawesi branch, the most active within the organization, works closely with YDTI to combat stigma and provide much needed-support to those affected.
“Stigma and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy has decreased significantly compared to a decade ago, but we are far from eliminating it,” said Al Kadri, Chairman of PerMaTa, whose members conduct home visits to offer emotional and physical support to people under treatment.
On August 26, Miss Supranational visited Jongaya Leprosy Settlement in the provincial capital Makassar. There she met with the head of Makassar health department, provincial and municipal officials, settlement residents, PerMaTa members and other stakeholders at the local community hall.
She shared her experience of being inspired by Princess Diana’s compassion for leprosy patients and expressed her commitment to becoming a driving force in changing perceptions of leprosy. She also pledged to help ensure that no one suffering from the disease is left untreated, helping to prevent disability due to leprosy, and working toward the elimination of the stigma associated with the disease.
Day 1, 26 August, 2024
The following day, August 27, Miss Supranational visited Maros District, where she discussed strategies for managing leprosy cases and improving service quality with the local health department. She also attended an event at a local school where she and PerMaTa members encouraged students to learn about leprosy as a step toward reducing stigma in the community.
Miss Harashta’s involvement in raising awareness of leprosy in her home country is a welcome development for campaigners in Indonesia and SLI looks forward to working with her in other countries as well during her tenure as Miss Supranational 2024.
Day 2, 27 August, 2024
