Sunday 30th January 2022 is World Leprosy Day (WLD): a day when organizations working in the field of leprosy seek to raise awareness of this disease that continues to trouble many people around the world. It coincides this year with ‘World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day’, which brings focus to 20 diseases in this category, including leprosy. Nearly all these diseases are endemic in poor countries, which is why they are ‘neglected’—because those who have the most power to research and develop cures, and conduct effective programmes, have little financial incentive to do so. That leaves most of the work to small organizations with a particular interest in them. However, the World Health Organization has been calling on everyone to address the inequalities that characterize Neglected Tropical Diseases, and hopes the day will be an opportunity to re-energize momentum to end the suffering from them, and to focus on the millions of people who have limited or no access to prevention, treatment and care services.

History of NLT

NLT’s journey began 50 years ago in 1972, when a small UK charity was established to support Eileen Lodge’s work in Kathmandu amongst people affected by leprosy. This same work in Kathmandu continues today through NLT’s fair-trade workshops, social support schemes for vulnerable people, and the child-sponsorship scheme which many of you support. Alongside that, our Kathmandu office (pictured right) provides a vital interface with the Government of Nepal that enables the work to continue. NLT was set up formally as an NGO in Nepal in 1991, and became the platform for establishing NLT’s main project, Lalgadh Leprosy Hospital and Services Centre, in south-east Nepal (pictured below). Lalgadh Hospital was officially opened 25 years ago, in November 1996, and has rapidly grown to become one of the busiest leprosy centres in the world, with many thousands of people coming for help each year.

Our widespread work in the Terai (plains) villages of southern Nepal, in the districts close to Lalgadh, has given us a window into the lives of many people who are extremely poor and vulnerable. A network of relationships and self-help groups has developed, helping many families in a variety of ways, including lifesaving support. Part of that work—the Village Alive programme—has so far enabled 14 Dalit communities to be greatly transformed: with real improvements in terms of health, education, and hygiene, and reductions in depression and alcoholism. Five more villages have recently joined this exciting programme.

We are so grateful for our God-given opportunity to be involved at the ‘sharp end’ of the leprosy problem, and the poverty problem, taking ‘Kingdom values’ into situations that seemed to be without hope, and assisting broken people to discover that their lives can be rebuilt. We are so grateful for all of you who have shared this journey with us and helped to make it possible—in some cases over many years—and have been part of the ups and downs, tragedies and triumphs that have characterized it. We are hugely grateful for our colleagues in Nepal who have been at the more uncomfortable and exacting side of this work, using the resources that you have provided, and supported by the prayers that you have made. Between us all, we have shown that attitudes towards leprosy can be changed, and lives stripped of dignity, by stigma and fear, and relegated to the very edges of community, can be brought back into the centre of things—with dignity and hope restored.

Underlying all of this has been God’s faithfulness and His commitment to minister to the poor, to set the prisoners free, to heal the broken-hearted, and to change lives. And He has indeed changed many lives!

Neelam

Neelam is one of two sisters who are both affected by leprosy. She is pictured here between friends at Lalgadh, who are also being treated for some complications of leprosy. Neelam first came to Lalgadh when she was 5; and she is now 18 years old. Her family was very poor, and it was hard for Neelam to avoid housework. This meant that her feet, which were badly affected by leprosy and had no feeling, gradually became more damaged. At age 14, despite much help, she had to have her lower left leg amputated, and was fitted with a prosthesis. Now, the challenge is to keep her right foot intact; but it is not in good shape because of the damage leprosy has done. Despite all these difficulties, Neelam has used her time at Lalgadh to continue her studies, and lives in a girls’ hostel in the nearby village with several other girls. This hostel is managed by Hem and Asha, who both worked at Lalgadh for more than 25 years and retired a little while ago. All the girls in the hostel are supported for their education; and Neelam is very bright and studies well. Please pray for this young lady, who has had a very hard start in life.

Bikru

Bikru is 65 years old and is affected by leprosy. He lives in Dhanusha, which is a Maithili district with a conservative Hindu culture. His leprosy marginalized him, until he got involved in one of NLT’s leprosy self-help groups and eventually became a group facilitator. This made a big difference; but it was still a struggle. A recent socio-economic rehabilitation project that NLT ran in the community enabled Bikru to acquire a cow to produce milk; and now people are coming to him to buy the milk. This has given him more independence and dignity, and he feels this very much. Before, people stayed away and no one cared about him, because of his leprosy. Now he earns 250 rupees a day and he no longer experiences discrimination.

Saraswati

Saraswati is a bright girl, now 10 years old, who contracted leprosy three years ago. She lives with her mother and two younger brothers in a two-room house; and her father works away from home at a flour mill. Her leprosy started with tingling in her right hand, rather than numb patches. She began to lose feeling in her 4th and little finger, and then to lose movement in them as they began to claw. Other children at school noticed, and began to keep their distance—as leprosy still carries stigma in many places. Saraswati’s uncle brought her to Lalgadh Hospital two years ago, and leprosy was diagnosed. Her treatment is now completed. Saraswati recently had surgery done by our doctor, Krishna Tamang. He straightened her clawed fingers, and then split tendons from working muscles and attached them to these fingers which weren’t working. Sarawati slowly learned how to move her fingers using the different muscles, and her hands now look fine and work properly. She has no disfigurement, and so her chances of marrying and living a normal life have been restored. She is pictured here with her mother, showing off her new hand to two of our nurses.