The needs of the people drive our work, and we often act as their advocates.

We hope to continue building a network of advocates to champion those affected by leprosy.

We witness compassion in action as it impacts the lives of those we serve. People’s spirits are lifted as they receive the physical and spiritual support they urgently need. Inspired by the changes in their lives, patients often pay it forward and bring a sense of renewed hope to their communities.

Donations support the programs and services that care for patients and their families.

We share what is happening on the ground in India and hope that through our words and images, those who follow our story see God powerfully at work!

We provide children in leprosy colonies with educational opportunities so they can integrate into mainstream society with confidence. These opportunities include our Little Lights program, which provides after-school tutoring along with their most nutritious meal of the day. Many who have grown up in poverty with few options available to them are now being equipped academically, helping them break the generational cycle of life in a leprosy colony.

Parents in the colonies welcome these opportunities for their children. They want them to have better lives than they have had.

Provide For Higher Education
Through our educational programs, children have become motivated by their progress and success. Many want to attend a university or trade school. They dream of pursuing careers—becoming doctors, lawyers, teachers, and community leaders, to name a few. They have come to believe their lives have purpose and a future worth striving for.

Children who entered our Little Lights program in its early stages are now approaching adulthood and, in many cases, require financial support to continue their education. The opportunity to earn a degree is one of the most significant paths to breaking out of colony life and into mainstream society.

We are working to enhance self-care among our patients. Part of this involves encouraging patients to be alert to early signs of leprosy and teaching their children the importance of disease awareness. The ability to recognize early indicators of the disease—including patches of discolored skin with a loss of sensation (e.g., to temperature or touch)—is crucial, because treatment during early onset can prevent permanent disabilities and disfigurement that can occur in more advanced stages of leprosy.

Self-care also includes taking medication and correctly reapplying bandages as needed between medical visits. By teaching patients these self-care methods, we show them how they can help themselves. As a result, some who have learned to care for their wounds have begun providing bandages and basic wound care to others. We hope that this empowerment, along with our medical and spiritual support, will help patients experience a stronger sense of dignity and self-worth.

Demographic shifts have led to an increasingly more significant number of aging adults with leprosy within the colonies we serve. These individuals cannot care for themselves, and they often find themselves living in grim conditions without anyone to help them. However, as our staff cares for patients’ spiritual and physical needs, hospice residents begin to feel a sense of dignity for the first time in their lives.

Recently, additional leprosy cases have been identified within towns and cities outside the colonies. Unfortunately, individuals who contract the disease in these settings are often kept out of sight and may not receive medical treatment because of the stigma the disease still carries.

While our staff is well-equipped to address leprosy cases within the colonies we currently serve, the growing need outside the colonies will require additional staff and resources. Therefore, we are in the process of formalizing a training plan to reach these individuals so they can receive the help and care they need.