Vinesh a 15-year-old child who is suffering from a leprosy related deformity. As is the case with thousands of Indians every year, Vinesh was diagnosed with leprosy only after the disease had deformed his hand.

Cured of leprosy, Vinesh is still struggling with a clawed hand. He struggles to button his school shirt, he struggles to tie his shoes, he struggles to play. But more tragically he also struggles with finding playmates.  His clawed hand is an easily recognised sign of leprosy and even though he is cured of the disease and can’t infect others, he has been shunned by his friends and neighbours.  Vinesh shares that he does not get invited to his friends’ birthday parties anymore, nor is he asked to play by his neighbourhood kids.

Leprosy is a highly stigmatised disease. Driven by misinformation, people’s behaviour towards those affected gets extremely cruel. A cruelty which Vinesh has been at the receiving end of due to his clawed hand.

Reconstructive Surgery is a surgical intervention offered at The Leprosy Mission Trust India’s hospitals. The surgery can correct his deformity, restore his functionality and hopefully, neutralise the stigma.

Every year more than 1,20,000 Indians gets added to those affected with leprosy.

The Leprosy Mission Trust India provides free comprehensive healthcare and rehabilitation to people affected by leprosy through its 16 specialised hospitals in nine states of India. Apart from medical care, we provide job-oriented skills training to young people affected by leprosy in six of our award-winning Vocational Training Centres. We train about 1500 students affected by leprosy, disability, and those from other marginalised backgrounds every year with more than 85% placement record (a much higher rate than all other skills institution).

Vinesh is admitted in The Leprosy Mission Hospital in Kothara, Maharashtra.

His family cannot afford his treatment.

I request you to come forward and be a friend to Vinesh. Help him to get reconstructive surgery so that he can realise his dream of becoming an electrician and help his family with his income.