The Sasakawa Leprosy Foundation gives training to people with leprosy and markets their productsIt was last October when the Sasakawa India Leprosy Foundation (SILF) started working with people with leprosy. A year on, their first project is seeking direct intervention to create livelihood for people and explore the employment opportunities for them. “India constitutes over 65 per cent of the total world leprosy population. The idea is to spread awareness to detach the stigma associated with the leprosy-affected people and help them sustain themselves,” says Vineeta Shanker, director, SILF. The organisation is working in over 700 leprosy colonies in the country, extending help to people in towns like Almora and in cities such as Jaipur. Their work covers two main areas—training people with various skills and marketing their products. “Training is not only about honing these people’s skill sets across industries such as handicraft and construction but it’s also about helping them identify those crafts that will be economically viable for longer sustenance,” says Shanker. At present, 50 people from across ten states are being trained in Pune.The Foundation’s priority is also marketing the products—currently they are on exhibition at Dilli Haat till November 24. While the variety of products vary from earthy colour palette of shawls (Rs 350-500) to bright shades of table cloths (Rs 85-220) and solid dyed bed sheets (Rs 450) to tweed (Rs 1,500 for 3.5 metres), the prices are not steep even though it takes twice the time and strength for leprosy-affected people to craft something as simple as hand block printing or dyeing cloth. “Marketing is important for their self esteem,” says Shanker, “Since a lot of people refuse to even touch products made by people with leprosy, it becomes essential to sell these products so that people know that leprosy is not contagious. And given the competition their product faces in the market, it’s inevitable for the prices to be low.”While it is Yohei Sasakawa’s—the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for the elimination of Leprosy—Japanese Nippon Foundation that funds SILF, all money from sales of these products goes to the craftsmen. But it’s partnerships across industries that the organisation is working towards. “We are building partnerships with NGOs, self-help groups and corporates across the country who can help train these people, in the age-bracket of 18-24 years, in various fields-handicraft, agriculture and construction,” says Shanker. And beginning with a tie-up with a fashion designer Ria Ali, who has taken their cloth and used in making jackets and bags, SILF is hopeful of more such associations to help live leprosy-affected people like any other person.
