Leprosy is one of the most ancient of diseases. It has been affecting lives for thousands of years and was recognized even in the oldest civilizations of China, Egypt, and India. As long as leprosy has been around, it has also been a significant cause of fear, disability, and isolation for those within its reach.
Leprosy affects the nerves of the infected individual, and if left untreated can lead to a loss of sensation, deformities to the face and limbs, and blindness. Individuals that contract leprosy are often sent or forced away, along with their entire family, to isolated colonies that have little interaction with mainstream society. They often become known as “the untouchables.”. This stigma and isolation stay with the families for generations, creating a cycle of poverty, sickness, and misery.​

The good news is that leprosy is now curable. Unfortunately, the attached stigma and fear, lead to a high lack in self-reporting or in seeking treatment. Thus, the disease is allowed to take stronger hold, causing greater deformity and disability for the infected persons. Leprosy patients (and members of their family) often find it impossible to marry, receive education, find work, and receive access to necessary healthcare. Individuals and families resort to begging, and most often internalize the belief that they have no value. They no longer believe that a healthy, meaningful, productive life is possible. We know that this is not true! Rising Star Outreach of India empowers individuals and families to rise above the stigma associated with leprosy and to live healthy, productive lives through: medical care, community development, and quality education. Each of these pillars make up our holistic approach to truly lifting persons affected by leprosy and creating lasting change in the lives of these individuals and their communities, and ultimately, in helping to eradicate this ancient disease. We would like to invite you to become a part of this important work through one of the CSR funding opportunities described in the Proposal Request that was sent along with this Organization Profile. It is our wish that our partners experience some of the life-changing hope and improvement brought into the lives of those served through such a gift, our partnership will be able to continue to mature and develop in the coming years as we work together to erase the mark of leprosy and heal, on many levels, some of the world’s most downtrodden.