NLR India runs projects to tackle stigma, discrimination and its impact into consideration. It brings together the affected persons through different groups and platforms so that they are institutionalised and empowered to apply and get the different services. They are also capacitated and encouraged to participate in different activities including planning, monitoring and implementation and assessment, with an objective of inclusion, self-care, self-help, self-reliance and sustainable development.
We work for the upliftment of the affected and excluded persons through socio-economic development, and facilitate their mainstreaming with the general communities and society. We focus on supporting them through educational, livelihood and vocational skill building programmes in partnerships with like-minded organisations, government and donor agencies.
Through our projects, we assess current situation and assess level of stigma, promote social and work participation, and improve mental well-being of the affected persons in the project areas.
During our action in the leprosy colonies and general communities, we identify and train potential youths as change agents, peer supporters, other volunteers and leprosy champions who are helped to help themselves, their families and communities.
Through disability inclusive development (DID) projects, we facilitate the establishment of organizations of persons with disabilities (DPOs), empowering persons with disabilities (PWDs) for applying and accessing the social welfare schemes/services, linking the affected persons with government schemes, and facilitate in formation and functioning of Self-help groups (SHGs), create disability friendly villages, work in partnership with the local community, and their community-based organizations (CBOs), and also form and strengthen local forums of discussion, action, advocacy and access. The SHGs, village /block development committee (VDC/ BDC) play important roles in acting and advocating for better services and life of persons affected by leprosy and disabilities in NLR supported states.