Annual Report 2012–13

Serving and Caring 39 廣東省漢達康福協會是服務麻瘋康復者的內地團體，選擇在那裏 實習的政治與行政學系周穎珊表示：「麻瘋康復者是在香港甚少接 觸的弱勢社群，很有挑戰性。」 在上世紀八十年代治療麻瘋藥物發明之前，麻瘋是高度傳染病，患者 會遭親友和社會遺棄，只可在麻瘋村與其他患者生活。協會扶助這被忽 略的一群自力更生，例如購買痲瘋村村民的蜂蜜，包裝出售，所賺的用作改善 村民生活。 穎珊和兩同學在實習期間隨協會職員先後造訪三條村落，她謂康復村的村民，雖然部分有肢 體傷殘，且感官較為遲緩，但生活卻很快樂。實習生又在中國慈善展覽會的漢達攤位負責推廣， 更協助漢達籌辦慈善拍賣會。 麻瘋病有藥可治後，康復村已沒有新來的村民。協會雖然開始嘗試發展其他項目，但仍然視麻瘋康復者為主要服務 對象。 The Handa Rehabilitation and Welfare Association is a mainland NGO established to serve ex-lepers. Markiana Chau from the Department of Government and Public Administration said, ‘This is a minority group that can rarely be reached in Hong Kong. I think this is challenging.’ Leprosy was an incurable infectious disease before the 1980s. Sufferers were abandoned by their families, friends and society. They lived in rehabilitation villages with other lepers. The association helped them to fend for themselves. For example, the association would buy honey produced by the villagers and sell it. The money gained would be used to improve living standards in the village. Together with staff of the association, Markiana and other two students visited three rehabilitation villages. She found the villagers were generally cheerful, though some of them were physically handicapped or with sensory deprivation. The students also helped in the association’s booth in China’s charity expo, and worked in an auction held by the association. No newcomer had joined the village subsequent to the invention of leprosy medicine. The association started to develop other projects, but still stuck to its primary target clients. 與麻瘋康復者同行 Walk with Ex-Lepers