People affected by leprosy in Southern China continue to be excluded from mainstream society and denied access to many public services.

This has resulted in a deep lack of confidence for many of them and neither the government nor the general public pays much attention to this small group of people. This stems from a long history of misunderstanding and false messages about leprosy.

Many leprosy-affected people have lived in isolated villages, separated from the local community, for most of their lives. Many have lost contact with their families. There is almost no information about government services and their rights of access to these services.

HANDA strives daily to ensure these people receive the care they need, have their basic human rights respected and feel they have a voice. They achieve this through the following activities:

• Public health education to raise awareness of leprosy
• Providing opportunities for people in the isolated villages to take part in social activities within and beyond the village
• Establishing a communications and exchange platform to encourage villagers to share experiences with and help one another.
• Motivating and organising volunteers to visit the villages to promote education and thus reduce stigma.
• Networking with other volunteer groups and NGOs to advocate for the rights of people affected by leprosy, thus facilitating their re-integration into society.
• Motivating the local community to help with the special needs of the elderly.