Leprosy : Introduction

Rehabilitation of patients with leprosy
Since last 13 years we are involved in the rehabilitation of patients with leprosy. First we took over Ruhten yunia colony where 44 families of leper patients are given houses, medicine and facilities for agriculture. Five years ago we took over Jamurda Khirishna leprosy colony which has over 576 inmates including children. We have already built 100 pukka houses for them. As for income generation we have given goats to 59 families and cycle Rickshaws to 13 families. Three years ago we took over Jeera colony where there are 24 families. We have already given them a bore well, an open well and the existing pond is widened and dug deeper. Sanitation is the new facility that is in the making.

Our main emphasis in these colonies is education. In all the three colonies there is a school up to second class and for the third class on, they are brought to our mission school where they stay in Ashirvad boarding and attend the school. In all there are 81 children attending classes at different levels. At M.E. school level a boy Santanu Bhoi tops the class where there are 76 children.

Medical care and some food ration is given to all the colony people. They are quite happy in the colonies with good drinking water facility and cultivable land for their sustenance.

Introduction :
One of the main goals of Vikas Deepti is rehabilitation of leprosy patients and their dependants. As far as our work among the leprosy patients is concerned, we have not done any thing spectacular during the past year except continuing the work and strengthening the infrastructure in the three colonies.

Over 500 patients and their dependents, in the largest colony, Jamurda have become aware of their civic responsibilities and have also become politically alert. Our services are limited to education, regular clinic and loans for IGP. They are empowered by Vikas Deepti and have got from the government running water, road, voting rights, BPL card and regular ration. They have now reached a stage that they are able to lobby by themselves. The other colonies envy their progress, unity of purpose and hard work. This doesn't mean that they have everything they need. Even now they do need more houses and sanitary means such as safety latrines. For the above we need a lot of funds and we do not think it will be possible for us to make these in the near future unless generous donors come forward. For the sustainability they are looking forward to empower themselves financially through the loans part of which we have made available. Their present venture is a fishpond. They have put in a lot of manual work and they are looking forward to an excavator to complete it by June this year before the monsoon.

In Ashraya 40 houses built by rotary club with the help of Dudley Rotary England are on the verge of breakdown because they are poorly built. Many windows and doors are either rotten or eaten by termites. In certain rooms iron fabrication in the RCC roof has got separated from the concrete. Very dangerous situation indeed! We had to make alternative arrangements and shift some patients lest they succumb to roof collapse. At the moment 30 pillars are added to the veranda as the verandas are caving in and can collapse any time. We have replaced 5 windows and 14 doors and the whole colony is whitewashed. Roof reinforcing will be done once the monsoon sets in. We have received 1000 Pounds from Mr. Ray, one of the members of the Rotary club Dudley, England. No good mason is ready to do repair work in the colony however there is no problem to get masons for new construction.

In Jeera colony we face situation of a different kind. Jeera colony people live on the bank of Jeera River close to the burning ghat. Being in the burning ghat where they burn the dead, no other human beings were staying in the near vicinity there. They were assured almost a meal everyday, as the relatives of the dead dish out meals in honor of the dead and the leper patients were quite happy. Uncontested we helped them to build mud houses, dig open and tube wells and a fishpond. At the moment the whole scenario is changed and the place has got a road to the burning ghat and buildings have started coming up in the vicinity. The leprosy patients have only occupation right but have no documents. The latest is, influential people have come measuring the land and are on the verge of occupying it. They have solace neither with revenue authorities nor with the law enforcing authorities. In the changed political and religious scenario, Vikas Deepti is not in a position to fight for the lepers directly and the leprosy people are frightened and are knocking at our door looking for alternative arrangements. The whole situation is disturbing indeed!