CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH

The Leprosy Mission New Zealand is committed to staying focused on helping people with leprosy until the disease is fully eradicated. To do this, we need long term support from donors through the Leprosy Mission Global Partner’s Programme.

Please read more below about partnering with us, or click here now to send an email indicating your interest or questions. Automatic Payment Forms can be downloaded below.

What does Global Partners Chittagong support?

Chittagong Urban Renewal

This programme grapples with the large urban slum population which has poor health facilities and abhorrent attitudes of those affected by leprosy and other disabilities. This project includes educating people about leprosy, maintenance of health centres in the slums until they can be integrated with government services, and training doctors and nurses about leprosy.

Chittagong Community Development and Micro Enterprise

Based also in Chittagong city, this project hopes to address the shockingly low level of incomes which those with disabilities are trying to survive on. In many cases, people disabled by leprosy must resort to begging in order to survive. The Community Development programme run by The Leprosy Mission involves the foundation of Microenterprise and Loan groups to start small businesses, as well as self-care groups to help people disabled by leprosy to take care of anaesthetic and ulcerated hands and feet.

Chittagong Hill Tracts Programme

The Chittagong Hill Tracts are significantly different from Chittagong City - the people are different, the country rugged and rural, while there is little in the way of roading and established infrastructure. In some regions, up to 70% of areas are only accessible on foot or by boat. With a literacy rate of 29-30%, education is very hard to access, especially for women. The Hill Tracts is also renowned for its high rates of violent crime due mainly to ethnic tensions between the indigenous tribal peoples and the Bengali people more common to lowland areas of Bangladesh.

Misunderstanding and fear of leprosy is found to be more extreme in the Hill Tracts than anywhere else in Bangladesh. Disease, especially malaria and diarrhoea, is rampant and fatal. Inevitably, children are the hardest
hit.

The Hill Tracts Programme seeks to cover education programmes for leprosy, as well as malaria, diarrhoea, maternal and child health. There is the provision of medical care for leprosy and those with infected ulcers, as well as reconstructive surgery for people with leprosy-related disability that helps people walk and use their hands better. Self-care groups are being established with the intent to provide income for Chittagong's leprosy-affected poor, as well as helping those permanently disabled by leprosy to take proper care of damaged limbs and avoid further harm to numb limbs.

How much do I pay?

You can pay however much you would like - the usual amount is a $30.00 per month donation, or $360.00 per year. However, we appreciate whatever support you can offer.

Click here to download a Credit Card / Bank Transfer Automatic Payment Form

Please note that these forms have to be sent into the Leprosy Mission at PO Box 10-227, Dominion Road, Auckland prior to your automatic payment being activated.