The Education Program helps children affected by leprosy or disability attend school. Without this support, these children would miss out on an education. Getting children to school is difficult for families in poverty. This program provides these students with access to the uniforms, books and food necessary to obtain an education.
The success of this project over the last year include:
- 244 students receiving scholarships, including 150 funded through the generous support of the Navitas Education Trust
Social Return on Investment
Scholarships to support the cost of school fees and materials for 422 students were provided at $67 per student last year.
180 people were able to stay at the Self-Care Unit for an immersive training program in living with leprosy impairment, at a cost of $44 per patient.
Project Outcome: children can go to school despite demanding circumstances
Fifteen-year-old Sita lives only with her older sister, who is leprosy-affected and has a disability. Sita became her sister’s carer when they were both forced to move away from their family village because of the stigma and abuse her sister faced.
Bearing a burden much heavier than most teenagers is tough, but TLM Nepal has helped to keep Sita in school despite this. She says, “I feel things are easy now because I have been able to pay my school fees on time and bought a school dress”.
When she grows up, Sita wants to serve her people by joining the army.
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Supported by Navitas |
| The Education Program is supported by a grant from Navitas, a leading global education provider. Thanks to Navitas, this project is able to provide 150 scholarships each year to help children and young adults affected by leprosy obtain an education. |
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The Leprosy Mission in Nepal
Leprosy remains a significant health problem in Nepal—a population where the majority of people are subsistence farmers. The leprosy-prevalence rate is 2.6 cases per 10,000 population (WHO, 2013), well above the World Health Organisation elimination target. Poverty, the stigma of leprosy, and poor access to healthcare all contribute to the high rate of leprosy.The Leprosy Mission Australia has been working in partnership with the Nepali government since 1957, providing specialist leprosy care at Anandaban Hospital, which is also a centre for extensive leprosy research and treatment development.
In partnership with Leprosy Mission Nepal and Nepal Leprosy Fellowship (NLF), The Leprosy Mission Australia works in community empowerment, development, disability awareness and rehabilitation, and socio-economic rehabilitation in the Central Development and Eastern Development Regions of Nepal.
The Leprosy Mission Nepal is responding to the COVID-19 crisis by distributing sanitisers, masks and disinfectant soap to communities around the Anandaban Hospital area.
They are also raising community awareness through local radio stations.
