Nikita Singh

The Leprosy Mission Trust India

The Leprosy Mission was founded in 1874 as ‘The Mission to Lepers' by an Irishman named Wellesley Cosby Bailey, in Ambala, India. Subsequently in 1973, The Leprosy Mission Trust India (TLMTI) was registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. TLMTI is the largest leprosy-focused non-governmental organisation in India and is headquartered in New Delhi, India. The organisation works with people affected by leprosy and other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), people with disabilities, and marginalised communities, especially women. TLMTI has a diverse set of programmes – Healthcare, Sustainable Livelihood, Community Empowerment, Advocacy, and Research and Training. These programmes are implemented through 14 hospitals and two clinics, six vocational training centres, five residential care homes for elderly persons affected by leprosy, community empowerment projects, and a research laboratory, spread across 10 states of India. Our focus areas: Free specialised leprosy care: Through our 14 hospitals, we provide holistic care to the people affected by leprosy. It includes, diagnosis, medicine, surgery, customised protective footwear, wheelchair and in-patient care. Skill Development: We have 06 Vocational Training Centres across India. These are approved by NCVT and have ISO 9001:2015 certification from quality assurance system. The focus is on youngsters affected by leprosy and disability. We have more than 1500 graduates a year with 54% women candidates and 90% campus placement. Education for young people: We shape young minds affected by leprosy and disability in poor communities and provide them tailored intervention for schooling and professional education. Sustainable Livelihood Programme: We have community development projects where we provide livelihood initiatives through Self Help Groups and special training for improved income while focussing on women headed families in the marginalised communities and people with disability.