In 2019, when Rajesh was first diagnosed with leprosy, quite a few years had passed from the time he had developed an anaesthetic patch on elbow. He was only 16. After visits to several doctors and repeated misdiagnosis, his condition worsened, and his fingers started clawing. Thanks to an ASHA worker in his village, he was able to get a proper diagnosis from the primary health centre and also start his leprosy treatment.

Meanwhile, news about his illness spread in the village and people started excluding and discriminating against him. He stopped going to school because his peers and teachers would always enquire about his deformed fingers.

The ASHA worker referred her to The Leprosy Mission (TLM) hospital in Naini for correction of his deformity. Initially, both Rajesh and his family were reluctant to opt for surgery, but after regular counselling and awareness sessions by the community project team, Rajesh agreed to undergo the surgery. His deformity got corrected and normal functions were restored. It significantly improved his confidence.

The project team persisted in counselling Rajesh and spreading awareness about leprosy in his village and school. They encouraged Rajesh to resume his education and supported him financially through an educational award program of TLM so that his education does not add to the financial burden of his father, who is a farmer.

Under the guidance of the project team, Rajesh took up the role of a change agent in his village, joining his peer groups and actively raising awareness about leprosy. He advocated for equal access to government schemes and was also able to access a disability certificate, pension, and housing scheme. Along with his education, he received training in floriculture from the TLM project team. With the pension amount, he started his floriculture business and started earning and contributing to his family income.

Today, Rajesh is studying in class 12. He aspires to become a government employee and support his family.