Nepal Leprosy Rrelief Association (NELRA) is a non governmental and non profit making social organisation established for the welfare of the leprosy patients and their families. It is the only national organisation working in Nepal since1969. Since the inception of NELRA it has made tremendous achievement in the prevention of leprosy in Nepal through health educationand socio economic rehabilitation of leprosy patients and their families. NELRA is running different programmes in order to achieve its goal of eradicating stigma against leprosy and rehabilitate them in the community to make as the normal citizen in the country.them
LEPROSARIUM
There are two leprosaria in Nepal established in 1857 and 1939 respectively in 20 Km.South of Kathmandu and in Syanga Malunga of western Nepal.Both of these leprosaria were handed-over to Nelra by His Majestys Government of Nepal in 1984 and 1976 respectively. At that time there were 530 leprosy patients and about 2000 children living in a very inhygenic atmosphare as the captives.Immidiately after NELRA took the responsibility of these leprosaria -children education , family planning,vocational training and community based rehabilitation etc.programmes were launched.Through the education programme, many children have been able to possess different positions in different service sectors and thus they have become able to earn . And also the families of many patient have been able to get resettlement homes in the community. Malunga leprosarium is completely vacated by rehabilitating and shifting them in Pokhara Arogya Ashram (a good living place ). His Majestys Government of Nepal has been granting the required
funds to run the leprosaria.
NURSING APARTMENTS
NELRA has built a Nurshing Apartmentas in Khokna leprosarium premises with a capacity of accommodating 60 disabled and helpless leprosy patients.Similarly another Nursing Apartments accommodating 30 leprosy patients of Malunga leprosarium was built in Pokhara in 1993.All of these patients are getting necessary fooding supplies and regular medical care in the apartments.ADRA/Nepal is the donor to built these two nursing apartments.
HOSTEL EDUCATION
NELRA is running two hostels in Kathmandu to facilitate educating the children of leprosy patients since 1971. Karl Gerold boys hostel presently accommodated 63 children located in about 21 Km.South of Kathmandu-Pharping and the next is the Shanti Girls hostel presently accommodating 55 girls, situated in Mandikhatar 5Km.North of Kathmandu. The hostels are providing all necessary living and education supplies to all the children.They are also encouraged towards the extra activities like playing different games,dancing,singing,kitchen gardening,cooking foods etc.From these two hostesl more than 325 students have got employment so far in different fields -hotel services , teaching , private jobs, govt.jobs etc. These Hostels are run through the grants of German Leprosy Relief Association Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation and the NELRA internal source.
SCHOOL STUDENTS SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMME
NELRA is executing School Students Scholarahip Programme for the children of leprosy patients from the year 1993.Every year 75 childrenstudying in their own village school living with their parents are
previledged by this programme.Sasalawa Memorial Health Foundation of Japan has funded this programme.
HIGHER EDUCATION SCHLARSHIPS
NENRA has been providing scholarships to the students acquiring higher education in different faculties
Basically , they are encouraged to get scholarship for self employment oriented type of faculties such as Nurshing ,community medicene and other vocational types.More than 60 children of the leprosy patients have been able to receive the scholarships of this catagory since 1985.Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation is the donor of this programme.
NELRA VOCATIONAL TRAINING
Vocational Training is an important component to rehabilitate the leprosy patients and their children economically. The able leprosy patients and their sons are taken as eligible for admission in the centre.
Considering this fact, NELRA has built a Vocational training centre at Khokana , Kathmandu through the financial support of German Leprosy Relief Association(DAHW).The centre opened in 1992 is running two trades i.e Training on Carpentry and Metal craffts.Altogether 35 trainees have already completed their training and started earning through easy employment in their respective fields.In the batch of 1996 there are 25 persons getting training in the centre.A small textile industry is also running by four handicapped leprosy patients in the same building and thereby they are generating income for their livelyhood.
COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION(CBR)
I Leprosaria : NELRA has been doing community based rehabilitation ofinmates living in Khokana and Malunga leprosaria since 1988.Till now, we have been able to rehabilitate 140 leprosy patients along with their family members by constructing 96 houses in different communities.Consequently all of the patients
in Malunga leprosarium have been rehabilitated in different communities of Nepal. Likewise we do have a goal to vacate the Khokana leprosarium too.This project has been financed by ADRA/Nepal.
II Beggers and others(home and landless): CBR in this catagory is to rehabilitate the shelterless and helpless leprosy patients lying in the streets , tamples and wandering in different places of Nepal. This programme was started in 1994 through the financial assistance of World Conference on Religion and Peace(WCRP).
Under this , 40 Peace Houses (20 in 1994 and 20 in 1995) have been built and they are scattered in different districts of Nepal as per the demand of the patients living in those districts. By this programme 67 leprosy patients and their family members 105 persons have been benefitted so far.
FUTURE PLANNING
NELRA has made an extention plan of Community Based Rehabilitation ,Skill Development and income generation. Poor,helpless and shelterless leprosy patients and their families would be facilitated under this plan. Meanwhile,NELRA is looking the generous donor/s to execute the plan most effectively. The service area may be a district, a zone, a region or more as per the mutual agreement between NELRA and DONOR.