In Bangladesh, our SEED Partners support two very successful projects in the Chittagong District.

• Chittagong City is the second largest city in Bangladesh with a population of about 3.8 million.
• The Leprosy Mission Bangladesh has been working in the greater Chittagong District for more than fifteen years.
• During this time there has been a significant drop in the number of people being diagnosed with leprosy each year.
• 3,000 people living with leprosy related disabilities have been identified over the last 10 years.
• Many leprosy-affected people live in extreme poverty and face stigma and discrimination in their daily lives.

Chittagong Hill Tracts Project

Leprosy and its consequences are major issues in the remote and severely under-developed Hill Tracts, as the region has the highest prevalence rates of the disease in the country. Donations from our SEED Partners are helping to:

• Reduce the prevalence of leprosy.
• Ensure leprosy-affected families access vital health services.
• Teach leprosy-affected individuals and families about self-care.
• Educate communities about the causes and consequences of leprosy.
• Lift leprosy-affected individuals and their families out of poverty.
• Increase skill levels and build confidence so that local communities can help themselves.

In the last 12 months the Hill Tracts Project has touched the lives of hundreds of leprosy affected individuals and their families:

• 17,067 community members have been educated about leprosy and other health related issues.
• 50 self-help groups have been set up and all of the members have received training on the causes and consequences of leprosy, hygiene, nutrition and basic human rights.
• 50 students have received education scholarships.
• 14 new houses have been built for leprosy-affected individuals and their families.
• 210 new cases of leprosy have been detected.
• 11 leprosy-affected people have received reconstructive surgery.
• 154 doctors, nurses, paramedics, rural medical practitioners, and health and family planning staff have received training about leprosy.
• 1,340 school teachers have received training about leprosy and been able to share their knowledge with their students and the broader community.
• 122 training programmes about leprosy, health and human rights have been held in schools and colleges.
• 37 community volunteers have been trained to recognise the symptoms of leprosy and identify new cases.

Gulchogi Chakma's Story

Gulchogi is 40 years old. She lives in Panchari Upazila village in the Khangrachari District of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. In 2006, the village doctor, who had been trained to recognise the symptoms of leprosy as part of the Hill Tracts project, accompanied Gulchogi to the local Leprosy Mission clinic where she was diagnosed with leprosy. The disease was still in its early stages, and after taking regular multi-drug therapy Gulchogi was cured.

Not long afterwards, a Leprosy Control and Development Assistant visited her to check that all was well. He was astonished to find that she had nowhere to live. He reported back to the project staff about her situation and they decided to build a house for her with help from the local community.

"The Leprosy Mission saved my life. If they did not help me I would have died. I pray to God for the Leprosy Mission and its staff. I have no big dreams in my life. I only want to live and eat three meals a day. I am very grateful to the Leprosy Mission for my house."

Chittagong Sustainable Development Project

The Chittagong Sustainable Development Project is providing leprosy-affected people with the skills and knowledge they need to take control of their own lives.

• Self-help groups have been the key to the success of the project, providing support and skills training to more than 800 people living with leprosy and disability.
• Federations of self-help groups have been set up to give leprosy-affected people a powerful collective voice. Leaders have been identified and trained to advocate on behalf of Federation members.
• The project provides leprosy-affected individuals and their families with vocational training in useable and employable skills such as sewing and mechanics.

Thanks to the commitment of our SEED Partners, the following progress has been made over the last 12 months:

• 23 new self-help groups have been formed and members have received training and support from project staff.
• More than 120 groups have been meeting monthly to learn more about self-care, human rights and small business management. Members are able to share their problems and provide each other with much needed support and advice.
• More than 100 self-help group leaders have received training in human rights, leadership, networking, communication skills, book keeping and business management.
• The leaders of the self-help group Federations have received comprehensive training on human rights.
• 16 meetings have been held with community leaders to advocate for the rights of people affected by leprosy and disabilities.

The Power of Self-Help Groups: Pratima's Story

Pratima Rani Das has been cured of leprosy, but the disease has left her with permanent disabilities.

A few months ago she heard about the difference Self-Help groups were making in the lives of people affected by leprosy and disability, and decided to form a group in her own community. She found another five people who were interested, and together they approached the Chittagong Sustainable Development Project staff to ask for support and training.  The project staff were only too happy to help.

Once the group was established they had to elect a chairperson, but this proved to be very difficult as no one wanted to take on the role. Eventually the other members persuaded Pratima to become their leader, even though she could not read or write.  This proved to be a bigger challenge than they expected, as she could not even set up a back account. The project staff noticed that the group was having difficulty and encouraged Pratima to learn how to read and write.

Now, thanks to the support of project staff, her family and the other group members, Pratima can read and write and the group is planning to go to the bank and open an account. This will allow them to save money every month so that eventually they can set up income generating activities, like fish farming or vegetable growing/selling, in their community.

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