Leprosy Aid

‘In 1991, India contained 75% of the world’s leprosy cases. Leprosy currently affects approximately a quarter of a million people throughout the world, with the majority of these cases being reported from India.

India is currently running one of the largest leprosy eradication program in the world, the National Leprosy Eradication Program (NLEP). Despite this, 120,000 to 130,000 new cases of leprosy are reported every year in India. This is 58.8% of the global total of new cases’ Leprosy colonies exist throughout India’ (Wikipedia)

The disease is now easily treatable with multi-drug therapy; however, this means having access to medical care and having money for treatment. Once leprosy has developed in a person, they will spiral very quickly into a state of adject poverty. Losing jobs, family and their home. Sometimes the separation is self-inflicted as they don’t want their children to either contract the disease or experience discrimination due to having a parent or relative with the disease. 

Leprosy does not spare people regardless of their background, we have found qualified professionals living in squalor as they have experienced the multiple losses identified earlier. The isolation and stigmatisation mean that they can only beg for money. Drug and alcohol use is rampant as these substances allow them to momentarily escape from the inhuman life they are forced to live.

In Ranchi There are two such leprosy colonies. Many leprosy sufferers live there with their families and children. Some are on their own. They develop a strong sense of community and will support each other in any way that is possible for them.

Our Response:

We have supported these Leprosy Colonies in several ways: 

• giving regular food parcels
• Built water well for clean fresh water
• Building them homes
• Building adequate sanitation such as toilets
• we have donated warm clothes blankets
• offered to help with medical care.

Over the years we have built trust with the residents and over time, they have allowed their children to live in our orphanage as boarding students. These children have exceled in education, one such student achieved the top marks for the subject of Sanskrit in the entire state of Jharkhand. Along with her family, we too, are very proud of her achievement. Gaining literacy means that they can have a better chance in life and the opportunity to gain paid employment. Thereby, being able to support their families. Our motto is to help others to become self-sufficient and help themselves.