Leprosy continues to be a public health problem: worldwide more than 200,000 new cases are recorded annually. It is a disease that predominantly affects underprivileged and marginalised populations. Indonesia has the third-highest number of leprosy cases in the world with 17,439 newly diagnosed cases in 2019. 

In 2022 we undertook a participatory project with community members in Jayapura, the capital of the Indonesian state of Papua.  

We used the Photovoice method, which supports participants to take photographs and make selections of their images, to document their experiences and emotions.

People living with leprosy, their families, and healthcare workers all worked towards creating a public exhibition to raise awareness of this disease and address the stigma faced by many.  

The project culminated in a public exhibition held in Jayapura to mark World Leprosy Day on 30 January 2022.