A stigma that follows you long after the cure
The social exclusion of leprosy packs the most powerful punch — more so than the physical impairment. When society sees a lost or disfigured limb, patients are skipped over for jobs, marriages, and ways to provide and protect their families.
Patients blame themselves for their condition
Low self-esteem, little hope, and no vision for the future leave patients in a pit that’s hard to climb out of –that’s why restoring dignity is one of our chief cornerstones of ministry.
Through our community-based rehabilitation program, patients are recovering and learning that they have purpose and meaning. And through the Goat Project, patients are discovering that they can provide for their families financially, and it’s changing their lives.
Meet Chakrapani
Chakrapani has deformities but has never begged. Instead, he looked after cows and goats. Two years ago, he lost a cow and was surviving on the rice we provide while laboring at a local farm.
People who lose feeling or strength in their hands have trouble with simple tasks like threading a needle or even holding a spoon, so you can imagine how hard farming would be! Some even experience “foot drop,” making walking difficult. The work took its toll on his frail body, and he was unable to continue.
Unsure what to do next, Chakrapani was connected to our Goat Project. He says, “now I have hope for a better future,” and he believes that he will have a better social and economic life thanks to this new program.
The look on someone’s face when they realize they are important and valued is a look we’ll never forget. Thank you for helping us make the Goat Project possible. We couldn’t do it without you and can’t wait to share more about it soon.