She said she would have died a long time ago if not for Embrace a Village. This is Gowri’s story. When Gowri was 25, she contracted leprosy. She and her husband barely survived on his labor wages, but they made ends meet. Despite ten years of leprosy treatment, she...
Nandini dreams of being a police officer. But “the cards are stacked against her.” She’s from a poor leprosy village. Her dad sells chicken eggs as his primary income. She and her two brothers know hunger because her parents struggle to put food on the table. Yet...
Empowering the Next Generation As we start our fall routines, and kids head back to school (or onto college!) It's an exciting season for many of us. But can you imagine if you never had the opportunity to go to school? How would your life look different? Lack of...
Papathi was cared for by a friend in her colony who also suffered from leprosy. Together, they barely survived. When he passed away, Papathi was left all alone. The agony of dealing with leprosy and loneliness was all-encompassing for her. One day, when our team was...
From begging on the street to renewed purpose! It is too often that we meet people forced into a life they never imagined or wanted because of leprosy and the terrible stigma that comes along with it. Our dear friend Abdul Rehim experienced the life-altering effects...
Your support provides life-changing care to the villages! The Embrace a Village team first met Mottayan in one of the remote villages of the Salem district in Tamilnadu. About a year ago, we learned that there was one man in desperate need of medical care and was at...
Her one dream was to live somewhere she was accepted. When she was 26 years old, Lyamma contracted leprosy and was sent to a government hospital for treatment. It broke her husband's heart, and he vowed to stay with her despite the horrific rejection and sneers from...
Heading Towards One Million Cases of Covid a Day Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a huge uptick in the number of Covid cases throughout India. At the onset of this pandemic, we were concerned that once it hit India, it would spread quickly due to the close living...
Decades ago, there was a happily married father of two who farmed his land and led a full life. Yet, when we met him, he was a 60-year-old living alone in a remote village in the Salem district. This was a far cry from his previous life. His transformative story below...
Reuben is a staff member who allowed God to break his heart for what breaks His. Once afraid to touch them -- now a dear brother and friend Reuben David is a staff member that serves at our base in Coimbatore, India, whose heart is pure gold! Though he might say it...
Thankaraj cannot walk. Leprosy stole his hands and feet, and he scoots on the floor to get around. He is from an area we call “The Hill Country,” which we visit monthly. We meet in a local YMCA to provide bandages, serve food, offer counseling, and spend time...
Abandoned at the hospital, this beautiful child grew up to be a prayer warrior who trusts God no matter what. This is her precious story. Surviving childhood leprosy Pushparani was diagnosed with leprosy as a child. She was abandoned by her family and left to grow up...