Delight at successful application. LEPRA is celebrating after hearing that we have been successful at securing £575,279 for a three-year project from the Community Fund for vital health work in in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India.

The focus of the work is to reduce the vulnerability of poor rural and urban communities to the spread of leprosy, TB, HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases of poverty, and will focus on improving the health of the most disadvantaged people including street children, tribal communities, slum dwellers, rural & urban women and rural agricultural labourers.

LEPRA will be working with two other partners to ensure that the health needs of these disadvantaged communities are addressed, and that knowledge and awareness of these diseases, and where they can be treated, is increased. Two microscopy centres will also be supported, to strengthen coverage of TB services. 24/12/2003.

Rev. Peter Garland 1932-2003. We are very sad to have to announce the death of Peter Garland, ex-Country Representative for Malawi, on 1^st December 2003. Born in January 1932, Peter joined the Army, where he became a sergeant in the Royal Army Education Corps, serving with the Somerset Light Infantry in Germany from June 1950-June 1952. He married in 1959 and joined the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in February 1962.

Peter had spent many years in education and was Principal of St. Luke’s School Simanggang, Sarawak, a co-educational primary/secondary school with 600 students from 1961-1963. From 1963-1966 he was a lecturer in education at St. Andrew’s Teacher Training College in Karogwe, Tanzania, and from 1967-1970 he taught at Mufuliva Primary School in Zambia. From 1971-1975 he was Principal of St. Michael’s Teacher’s College in Malindi, Malawi, where he first came face to face with the plight of those with leprosy. When this was closed by the government, he did one term at Hazeldean Private School before taking up an appointment with LEPRA in Malawi as a Field Officer at Chilema.

In 1980 Peter took over as National Manager of the LEPRA Control Project in Malawi, based in Blantyre, and inherited a patient load of 20,000. Under Peter’s management, the project was the first to embrace multi-drug therapy for all the Malawi projects, and under him the number of cases of leprosy fell to below 1 per 10,000 – the World Health Organisation’s target at which leprosy was no longer considered a public health hazard. At the end of 1994 there were exactly 1,000 patients on the register, and this included Mozambiquan refugees.

In November 1992 Peter became LEPRA’s Country Representative and continued in this role until his retirement in 1995. Peter was awarded The Order of the Lion of Malawi from President Bakili Muluzi in 1997 in recognition of his ‘distinguished service to the Republic of Malawi’. He will be a great loss. 12/12/2003.

Walter John Leach MBE 1900-2003. We are deeply saddened to announce that Wally Leach, a staunch life-long supporter of LEPRA’s cause, died on 1st December 2003 following a fall at his home. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to his wife Joan and all his family.

Born on 16th June 1900 in Bow in London, Wally went to Godwin Road School in Forest Gate, then Coopers School, Bow. He left school in December 1917 and joined 72nd Royal Fusiliers, but was discharged on cessation of hostilities in 1918.

He attended Westminster School of Art to be instructed in water-colour painting and draughtsmanship. He joined A.L. Moore and Son, stained glass, of Southampton Row in 1920 and the following year started an apprenticeship with Henry Victor Milner, of Haverstock Hill, Hampstead in stained glass making. From 1920-1921 he attended evening classes at the Central School of Art in Southampton Row and was taught glazing and firing. From 1921-1929 he attended the Carpenters’ Guild in Marylebone and was taught painting on glass. The Carpenter’s Guild awarded him the Silver Medal (1924-1925) and the Bronze Medal (1925-1926) under their stained glass section for advanced pupils.

In 1929 Mr. Milner moved to Whipsnade, in Bedfordshire and Wally went with him. During this time Mr. Milner became very ill, and finally was confined to bed, although he was still able to guide and help his pupil. At the outbreak of World War II, Wally joined the Royal Navy and served until 1945 when he joined the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association (BELRA). From 1946 to 1952 he worked as the Exhibition Manager, organising static displays of BELRA’s work (some three furniture vans full!) and gave talks in various locations around the country to raise funds, but his heart was set on working in the field. He accompanied the Medical Secretary of BELRA to Africa for a tour of the settlements there in late 1947 and stayed at Itu learning about leprosy for three months, but was recalled early in 1948 to continue with the exhibition work.

In 1952 his ambition to work overseas was realised when he was accepted as a BELRA Overseas Worker and went to Kumi in Uganda, giving talks about his work and raising funds whilst on home leave. From 1955 to 1963 Wally, with his wife Joan, were stationed at Makutupora Leprosy Settlement in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) but still continued with his deputation work when on leave (BELRA changed its name to LEPRA during this time).

On 28^th July 1962 Wally and his family were involved in a horrendous crash at a railway crossing at Bahi on their way back to Makutupora when they were hit by a train. Wally, Joan and their daughter were hospitalised, but miraculously their son had been thrown clear. All recovered well, but were frustrated at not being able to continue their work until 19^th October 1962.

In 1963 Wally came home and took up the reins of exhibition work again, touring the country with a mobile exhibition van. This method of awareness raising also recruited several nurses to work in the field.

He retired from LEPRA in 1969 and took up the threads of his stained glass work again, and from 1970-1998 he lectured on stained glass to a variety of organisations. In 1994 he went to Vermont, USA to lecture and run practical workshops in Medieval English stained glass at the Hayes Foundation Summer Camp for especially gifted children. Right to the end of his life Wally was teaching the art of stained glass making to another generation.

But he never lost his love for LEPRA, nor did he turn down any opportunity at all to fundraise for LEPRA. Sales of his stained glass work and paintings, Joan’s jewellery, and monies raised from talks about their time in Africa, have raised over £36,000 for LEPRA. It was a delight to all of us here at LEPRA when Wally was awarded the MBE in the 2001 New Year’s Honours List for services to leprosy. Also more recently Wally was awarded ‘Highly Commended’ for the ‘Life Time Achievement Award’ from the Beacon Fellowship in October this year.

Personal occasions (such as Wally’s 100^th birthday party, and his and Joan’s recent Gold Wedding anniversary party) became fundraising events, where guests were asked not to buy presents, but to donate to LEPRA instead. Even when he was in hospital after his fall, Wally never missed an opportunity to spread the news of LEPRA and its work. He will be very greatly missed by all who knew and loved him, but his spirit and memory will live on through the cause he held so dear. 03/12/2003.

World Aids Day – 1^st December 2003. The 1^st December marks World Aids Day, as the growing epidemic continues to devastate communities across the world.

During the year 2003, the global HIV/AIDS epidemic will have killed more than 3 million people, and an estimated 5 million more will have acquired the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This brings the estimated number of people living with the virus around the world to 40 million people. (Source: UNAIDS 2003).

The disease is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, where over 3 million adults and children were newly infected with HIV/AIDS in 2003. Anti-retroviral medication can slow the disease in its tracks, but effective and intensive health education activities are also needed alongside this. Stigma and fear of discrimination still prevents many from seeking treatment.

In India, LEPRA is intensifying its HIV/AIDS health education activities and you can read more about the disease and where LEPRA is helping the fight against HIV/AIDS by clicking here. 01/12/2003.

Cricketers honour and remember Dr Jo Colston. Dr Jo Colston, who tragically died this year of a heart attack, was honoured and remembered at a cricket match held by his old club at Long Ditton.

Jo’s wife Kay, and two sons Josh and Sam, also used the event to help to raise money for LEPRA and Breast Cancer Research. Dr Colston was an internationally acclaimed scientist who dedicated his career to leprosy and TB and was instrumental in developing Multi Drug Therapy (MDT), the drug regimen that is used across the world to cure patients of this debilitating disease. He was also an advisor to the World Health Organisation and a well respected and admired member of LEPRA’s medical advisory board.

It is planned that The Jo Colston Memorial Day will become an annual cricket event in memory of this extraordinary man and great friend of LEPRA. 12/11/2003.

LEPRA’s CE honoured as national pioneer. Terry Vasey, LEPRA's Chief Executive, was among 400 distinguished guests invited to Buckingham Palace to celebrate their contribution as 'Pioneers to the Life of the Nation'. The reception on Monday 13 October recognised the outstanding contribution that LEPRA has made in the field of leprosy. LEPRA pioneered field leprosy control programmes and developed and tested the medicines which are now used to cure the disease. It was a triple event for LEPRA as Her Majesty the Queen is LEPRA’s patron, and its President, Sir Christian Bonington was also honoured for his contributions to Mountaineering.

Before joining LEPRA, Terry was the Coordinator of the British volunteer programme in Brazil. The volunteer nurses and physiotherapists worked in the leprosy control programme in the most remote regions of the Brazilian Amazon. He said: "It was an honour and very exciting to be invited to the Palace. The Queen is very committed to the eradication of leprosy having first visited a leprosy colony in Nigeria in 1947. The invitation to the Palace was a delight for me, but more importantly it is wonderful to know that leprosy and those affected by it were recognised in this way".

Mrs Prunella Scarlett, Chairman of LEPRA, said: "I am thrilled that LEPRA’s work has been recognised. Terry has made an outstanding contribution to the advances in the fight against leprosy".

LEPRA celebrates its eightieth birthday next year and has made a major contribution both in the field of research and to patients and their families. In the last two decades alone over 11 million people have been cured of the disease. Recently LEPRA has expanded its activities and now also works with other diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and HIV. 12/11/2003.

Wally Leach awarded for Lifetime Achievements. Wally Leach, one of LEPRA’s longest serving supporters, has been named as runner-up for the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Beacon Fellowship at the age of 103. The Beacon Fellowship awards prizes to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to charitable causes or to organisations that benefit the public. The winners are likely to have created or transformed a charity, project or cause by giving money, either personally or through a grant-making trust or to have provided leadership, creative ideas, skills or time without personal reward.

The Lifetime Achievement Award honours an individual who has made exceptional gifts (time, money, skills, ideas or leadership) to charity over a considerable number of years, and whose generosity will have been an inspiration to others and whose philanthropy will have made a significant impact on society.

Wally left school in December 1917 and joined the 72^nd Royal Fusiliers, but he was discharged the following year on cessation of hostilities. He joined the Westminster School of Art for instruction in water-colour painting and draughtsmanship. In 1920 he joined the firm of A.L. Moore and Son, Stained Glass and later took on an apprenticeship to learn the art.

At the outbreak of World War II Wally joined the Royal Navy and served until 1945 when he was demobbed. He then joined LEPRA as the Exhibitions Manager until 1952 when he was accepted as an overseas worker. He worked in Uganda for two years and then he and his wife Joan moved to Makutupora in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) and remained there until they returned home in 1963. Wally took up the reins of the BELRA mobile exhibition and toured the country until 1969 when he retired.

However, Wally has never retired from helping LEPRA and raises funds all the time with exhibitions of his work, and sales of Joan’s beautiful handmade jewellery. His dedication was also rewarded when in 2001 Wally was presented with an MBE for his services to leprosy (pictured here left).

All the staff here at LEPRA would like to congratulate Wally on his award and also wish him a speedy recovery as we hear he has recently been admitted to hospital. 12/11/2003.

Research Workshop to help tackle reactions. LEPRA recently co-ordinated a workshop on the topic of Research in Nerve Damage and Reactions. Leprosy Reactions lead to inflamed skin lesions and nerves which can make even the slightest touch or movement extremeful painful to an affected patient. They are not , as some people mistakenly think, caused by the drugs given to treat the disease, but by the bodies own natural response to the leprosy bacilli itself. If untreated, they can result in irreversible nerve damage and are one of the major causes of disability and deformity in leprosy.

The three-day workshop held in August was sponsored by The Tropical Disease Research group (part of the World Health Organisation), and attended by several key researchers in the field of leprosy. The purpose of the workshop was to develop a co-ordinated programme of research into nerve function and reactions, in a similar manner to the successful INFIR research programme, of which the late Dr Jo Colston formerly Chairman of LEPRA’s Medical Advisory Board, was a central figure.

Further research into this key area of leprosy will help to develop methods of predicting those patients at high risk of developing reactions and nerve function impairment. It will also lead to the identification of improved treatment regimens, for patients subject to recurrent reactions or not responding to the standard treatment for nerve damage presently in use. 24/10/2003.

Update from our Programmes Team. This year has been extremely busy for everyone so far, and Autumn is one of Programmes’ busiest times of year as budgets and proposals for work in 2004 are assessed and finalised. The sudden death of Dr Jo Colston earlier this year has left a huge gap which is extremely difficult to fill. However, we know that he would have wanted LEPRA to continue to look at priorities for leprosy research and you can read more on what is being done in the area of research below.

Brazil. LEPRA has now been supporting leprosy control activities in Brazil for ten years. Over this period, funding has been utilised in four north-eastern states to undertake hundreds of training, health education and case-finding interventions, upgrade key referral centres and ensure that leprosy patients have received dignified treatment. Over the course of the last year LEPRA determined that it was essential to undertake a strategic review of these projects, as well as the programme as a whole, to determine if LEPRA’s assistance is still appropriate for the Brazilian context and what changes, if any, should be made to its funding policies and the content of its projects.

The general recommendation of the review team, who spent 2-3 weeks in-country, is that the public sector - states and municipalities - is indeed the most appropriate counterpart for LEPRA’s work in Brazil. Its future focus should clearly be to strengthen the public health system and fully integrate leprosy services into a more complete health infrastructure, ensuring that a full range of leprosy services be provided for the general population regardless of any internal or external shifts in priority given to the disease.

Mozambique. In July this year, LEPRA also undertook a strategic review of LEPRA’s support to the TB & leprosy programme in Zambezia, Mozambique. The review would look at our work in Zambezia commencing in July 1999 to the present day, with the objective of evaluating the work to date and of providing recommendations for LEPRA’s activities in Mozambique in the next 3-5 years. Specific actions included looking at ways of building on LEPRA’s achievements to date, and how LEPRA could assist the Government in increasing access to leprosy and other health services.

The review team spent over 2 weeks in-country, and the findings and reports are currently being drawn up.

• Our involvement in HIV/AIDS work in India is set to increase in the future, not only through our involvement with The International HIV/AIDS Alliance but also by request of the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

• Linking with Sight Savers International through the eye surgery hospital in Orissa also means that the eye care problems experienced by people affected with leprosy will be greatly improved.

• A new partnership is being established with Target TB, formerly part of Ryder Cheshire, who are keen to support LEPRA’s work in Bangladesh.

• On 5^th August, LEPRA was visited by Mr Yohei Sasakawa, President of The Nippon Foundation and WHO Special Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination. Mr Sasakawa has been involved in leprosy elimination for many years. The Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation, co-founded by the first President of The Nippon Foundation, is, like LEPRA, a member of ILEP, and is supporting LEPRA’s work in India and Mozambique.

• Chiara Carcianiga, Programmes Officer, recently visited the work supported by LEPRA in Moxico Province and Doug Soutar recently attended a Partners Meeting in Luanda, and met with our Representative. Both visits report that important progress has been made as a result of LEPRA’s support. In spite of the huge difficulties in this vast war torn country, LEPRA’s support has enabled effective delivery of leprosy and TB treatment to areas which were totally inaccessible until recently. Training and strengthening of government health services will be crucial to meet the needs of displaced persons returning back from Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo following last year’s peace agreement.

Research Workshop. Following discussions earlier this year with Dr Jo Colston, prior to his tragic death, LEPRA has been considering how best to take forward the discussion with regard to research priorities in leprosy. It was decided that a small workshop should be arranged on the topic of Research in Nerve Damage and Reactions. This workshop was held from 13^th to 15^th August and was sponsored by TDR (WHO Tropical Disease Research group). The outcome is expected to result in a co-ordinated programme of research into nerve function and reactions, in a similar manner to the successful INFIR research programme, of which Jo Colston was a central figure.

Integration in India. Integration of leprosy work into the general health services continues to move forward and LEPRA India is taking a lead role in Orissa in coordinating the efforts of all ILEP members to support government health workers with training, capacity building and technical support.

Expansion of TB work in Bangladesh. LEPRA Bangladesh signed an agreement this month allowing them to carry out TB work in Natore district of Bangladesh. A joint TB and leprosy programme is already being carried out in Sirajganj and Pabna districts. This new agreement is initially to 2006.

Programmes information on the website. LEPRA's new-look website is fed directly with project information from a database maintained by Programmes. This enables updates to be made to project data on the website in a quicker and more accurate manner than before. Please take time to explore the programmes aspect of the website, which now includes information on the research projects currently being supported. Feedback on the site is always appreciated. 10/10/2003.

Bid for Celebrity Jewellery on 5th November. Remember, remember... LEPRA’s Precious Gifts for Precious Live Appeal supported by Dame Judi Dench and Gaby Roslin, will be auctioning items of jewellery very kindly donated by stars and celebrities to raise money for people with leprosy, tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS.

Five hundred celebrities have been asked to donate to the appeal and a list of those who have responded so far is shown below. We are very grateful to them all for their generosity in supporting our work.   Shown left - Pearl & diamante effect choker necklace and matching earrings donated by Leslie Garett.

Items Received to date.

The auction kicks off with our favourite on-line auction house – eBay – on November 5th 2003 and this list will be regularly updated with new arrivals so watch this space. 04/09/2003.

Mrs Scarlett, our Chairman, spoke in her address of some of the other health problems that are affecting the communities we work with.

Over 7 million people contracted Tuberculosis last year, and 5,000 people die from it each day. This problem is getting worse as the disease becomes resistant to the drugs we use to fight it.

The HIV pandemic is rising out of control and 5 million people were newly infected with the virus last year, not only destroying families but whole communities. This is one area where we are substantially increasing our involvement. We are working with the State of Andhra Pradesh in India to reduce the number of babies who are born with this virus. This is done through education programmes, counselling and the treatment of pregnant women.

Malaria is by far the biggest single killer with over 300 million cases in the world. We have a joint programme, again in Andhra Pradesh, working with communities which are worst affected by Malaria, tuberculosis and leprosy which is part funded by the European Community – LEPRA of course, pays for the leprosy component of this programme.

If I had ever needed convincing that what we do was right, then these statistics would certainly do so. From the comparative luxury and safety of our homes here in the UK I urge everyone to do whatever they can to overcome the injustices we know are occurring in many parts of the world. As LEPRA approaches our 80th Birthday we can look back with pride on the wonderful work that has been done with the support of such faithful donors. As a special birthday gift from us, let us extend our friendship to even more of those who so need our help.

04/09/2003.

New counsellors help extend HIV/AIDS work. LEPRA India has taken on 240 new counsellors to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Andhra Pradesh as part of the Frontier Prevention Project (FPP) of the international HIV/AIDS Alliance. This work is being undertaken in partnership with the Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society, UNICEF and the District Coordinator of Health Services.

With an estimated 400,000 cases of HIV/AIDS in Andhra Pradesh, the State has one of the highest prevalence rates in India and, as with leprosy, the stigma and discrimination attached to the disease are enormous.

Using its existing infrastructure, LEPRA India has established Voluntary Counselling Testing Centres in all the Government medical colleges, large district hospitals, and area hospitals, offering counselling services on a one-to-one basis. There are also Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission Testing Centres which offer information and counselling services to attendees, advising them for instance on the most appropriate medicication to take in order help prevent mother-to-child transmission.

This new initiative is a further example of LEPRA India using its facilities and knowledge base to benefit people suffering from diseases other than leprosy. 04/09/2003.

Supporter donates family heirloom. This splendid Queen Anne nursing chair was recently donated to LEPRA by one of our long term supporters. The chair, a family heirloom, had been used by his grandmother to nurse his father and two uncles both of whom were later killed in the First World War.

We would like to thank the gentleman concerned for donating such a treasured family item to LEPRA. The chair will be auctioned in a London furniture sale later this year and the proceeds used to help our work against leprosy and other diseases of poverty. If you have anything that you know is of value and would like to donate to LEPRA please contact Sarah Green in our fundraising department. 04/09/2003.

Swan Hellenic Cruises. LEPRA is delighted to announce that discovery cruise specialist company Swan Hellenic has chosen us to be its charity partner.

This exciting relationship will see LEPRA promoted on board the group's highly acclaimed new ship Minerva II, which is described as "an exceptional ship whose superb facilities and pampered lifestyle make time spent on board a home from home, whilst exploring the world." Minerva II was launched at a special ceremony held on the River Thames in July and a number of high profile guests were invited to attend.

The guests heard actor and broadcaster Stephen Fry talk movingly about LEPRA and the continuing need for funding to fight the disease. Music for the ceremony was provided by the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, the Choristers of St Paul's Cathedral and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa DBE, who is also Godmother to the liner. The ship was blessed at the ceremony by The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Richard Chartres, Lord Bishop of London. During the evening a charity draw was held for the chance to win a luxury cruise and raised over £8,000 for LEPRA.

Pictured (left to right): Daniel Von Posch, Baroness Gerda Von Posch (LEPRA Westminster Committee), Prunella Scarlett (LEPRA Chairman), Carol Marlow (Managing Director Swan Hellenic), Terry Vasey (Chief Executive LEPRA) and Dr Duncan McGregor.

We are thrilled that Swan Hellenic have decided to support our work and we look forward to a successful partnership. To find out more about Swan Hellenic or the cruises offered by them, visit the company website at www.swan-hellenic.co.uk. 17/07/2003.

Sir Christian Bonington gets the Big Red Book. LEPRA’s President Sir Christian Bonington CBE has been honoured with the famous ‘Red Book’, presented to him by broadcaster Michael Aspel at a recording of BBC TV’s This Is Your Life screened on Thursday 3rd July.

Sir Christian, who is best known for his mountaineering exploits, was congratulated by friends and family as Michael Aspel detailed highlights of his remarkable life. It was whilst mountaineering in the Himalayas that Sir Christian first became aware of leprosy and the suffering it caused. So began a life-long interest in fighting the disease, culminating in his presidency of LEPRA, a position he has held since 1982. Terry Vasey, LEPRA’s Chief Executive, who was present at the recording, and everybody at the charity joins with his many admirers in congratulating Sir Christian on this latest accolade.

Listed below are just some of the highlights from a remarkable career.

To read more about Sir Christian’s life and expeditions, please visit his website at www.bonington.com. 03/07/2003.

Celebrities agree to support LEPRA's Jewellery Appeal. LEPRA is very pleased to announce that celebrities Dame Judi Dench and Gaby Roslin have very generously agreed to offer their support to our new Jewellery Appeal 2003. Over 500 celebrities and superstars have been asked to donate a piece of jewellery, which will be auctioned off in November this year. In addition Sir Elton John has very kindly donated £5,000 to the appeal already - a big thank you to Sir Elton for such a generous donation.

If you would like to send in a piece of jewellery to add to our collection, please contact Sarah Green on 08451 21 21 21 for further information. Full details on how to bid for an item of Jewellery will be posted here later in the year. To date the following celebrities have very kindly donated or promised a piece of jewellery:- Fay Ripley, Lorraine Kelly, Anthea Turner, Cherie Blair, Dinah Sheridan, Davina McCall, Charlie Dimmock, Virginia McKenna, Toyah Wilcox, June Whitfield, Twiggy, Liza Tarbuck, Stella McCartney, Gail Porter, Darcey Bussell and Zandra Rhodes. 30/06/2003.

Angola update – "It's hard work at present". LEPRA’s representative in Angola has recently written from the field where she is overseeing LEPRA’s support for the leprosy and tuberculosis work in Moxico Province in the remote south east of the country.

Moxico Province has been neglected during a long period of civil conflict. This only recently came to an end and because of land mines, many areas are still difficult to reach. Certainly there has been little in the way of basic health provision for many years. Our representative has recently been carrying out training in TB management in the provincial centre, Luena and accompanying supervision visits to some of the remoter villages. Some extracts from her letters help to give an idea of how challenging an environment this is for LEPRA to work in.

January 30^th
"The photocopier has arrived - now we just need to restore the electricity! The hospital has not had light for the week since I arrived. Prices have also gone up so the budget for the training course is slightly higher. I will also need to arrange to buy one steer each month to ensure the TB patients are fed."

February 3^rd
"I am off to Cazombo and Luau in a few hours. The health supervisor from there has just arrived and it appears there is still fighting between two local groups. I have no great expectations of the situation there as they also report that they are expecting an influx of refugees. Sixty percent of these refugees are likely to be HIV positive and each of the community health centres has an inpatient capacity of only four beds. I have just had malaria so life has been a bit fuzzy of late but the training seminar on TB management has been very good."

February 12th "Have had an amazing trip. The huge contrasts and surprises people throw up make me marvel again and again. We found much grace and many problems of all sizes." She signed off a recent letter, " I would really value your prayers for renewed strength. It is hard work at present."

LEPRA has always sought to embrace challenges and in Angola we are indeed fortunate to have someone of her calibre. Your support is also vital to enable LEPRA and our colleagues to continue to make a real difference in such challenging situations. 27/05/2003.

Memories of my London Marathon. Supporter Annie Davies ran the 2003 London Marathon this March on behalf of LEPRA and has kindly agreed to share her thoughts and experiences of the event.

First the good news the first few miles are a doddle - all the long runs are well worth the time invested over the last few months. The crowds are fantastic. With your name on your t-shirt they'll call it out, feed you orange segments and sweets, and the children stretch out their hands to high-five your sweaty sticky ones.

Before you know it you are passing the Cutty Sark and feeling pretty good. Everyone is incredibly friendly. The next few miles passed in a blur of well-wishers, excited chatter all around, drinks stations and wondering whether to sacrifice a few minutes to visit one of the portaloos (which I didn't).

Tower Bridge is the next big landmark, the crowds there are unbelievable and will lift anyone beginning to flag. Soon after this you pass the point where you see the faster runners coming back the other way (they are around 7 miles ahead at this stage). The temptation to vault over the barrier and join them did pass fleetingly through my head. But, then I returned to the reality that there was still a long way to go.

My spirits rose again when familiar faces, of my family and friends appeared in the crowd (Louisa Noel, Jackie Clayton, Jo Abbey, Mark & Sari Woodham, Jane & Patrick, Sheila & Alan and of course my mum and Andy's dad). The Docklands crowds mean you don't get a chance to feel too sorry for yourself.

At around the 20 mile mark I began to think only 6 miles to go and I had to take it 1 mile at a time, congratulating myself on reaching every mile marker. Coming up to the Tower of London are the dreaded cobbles at around 22 miles I had heard so much about but got through them OK and I believe the official photographers were there but I don't recall seeing them. I did see my ‘supporters’ again at the 23 mile mark though.

And, then onto the Embankment where you begin to feel like a real hero. No one was more amazed than me that my legs could still carry me forward, albeit not as fast or springy as before. People all around were running, walking and hobbling but everyone was acutely aware that every step took them closer to the finish line. The crowd had never been thicker, noisier or more supportive - they are literally willing you forward.

Passing Big Ben as it strike 3.00pm, Birdcage Walk and Buckingham Palace was all wonderful, but there is nothing to prepare you for the lump in the throat and welling tears that you experience on turning that final corner in the Mall to see the ticking clock ahead. Whatever the clock is telling you the feeling is euphoria plain and simple. Relief, pain a whole kaleidoscope of sensations. Unbelievably, it's finally all over. You and your fellow 30 thousand companions are all winners whatever your finish time. I relinquished my chip, collected my medal, smiled for the photographers and walked the walk that only marathoners understand towards the baggage reclaim.

"Never again, next year I am joining the spectators!" I said to myself but then a second, stronger voice penetrated the pain and said "Who are you kidding? You'll be here next year" And you know what I probably will - Watch this space!! Time: 5hrs 13mins 30 secs

A big "Thank You" to all our London Marathon 2003 LEPRA Runners:- Annie Davies, Barney Spender, Becky Hughes, Sally Weddell and Chiara Carcianiga. Sponsorship money raised to date £3,384.05.

Congratulations also to one of our own staff members who took part in the event. Chiara Carcianiga works as a Programmes Officer at our Head Office in Colchester and completed the course in 4 hours, 28 minutes and 46 seconds.  Well done Chiara! She is pictured here after completing the course with Sarah Green, LEPRA's Fundraising Assistant, who is running next year (only kidding Sarah!).

Would you like to raise money for LEPRA by running in the London Marathon 2004? If so, simply contact Sarah Green, Fundraising Assistant at LEPRA on 08451 21 21 21 or send an e-mail to sarah_green@lepra.org.uk for more details about the London Marathon 2004.

Come join the fun and help LEPRA raise money to cure people of leprosy and other diseases of poverty. 20/05/2003.

Schools help TB & Leprosy research. A LEPRA funded research project was set-up in 1999 set out to try to identify why there are differences between the effectiveness of the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine in school children in the UK and Malawi.

Early findings from the study, completed at the end of 2002, indicate that in Malawi, BCG vaccination provided good protection against leprosy bacteria but not against tuberculosis bacteria in the same population. Seven schools in Redbridge and Waltham Forest, East London took part in this research and students who participated were awarded a certificate for their national record of achievement.

A second study being funded by the Wellcome Trust is now underway. It will focus on immune responses in each group and also investigate whether environment plays a key part in long-term immune response to the vaccine. Five of the schools who took part in the first study have agreed to continue their assistance with the second study.

A additional bonus of the work is that it has also helped to forge friendships across the continents. One of the schools involved has set-up a link between their geography department and a school near the study area in Chilumba, Malawi. It is also hoped that the appitite of future scientists may have been wetted as students have been invited to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who are co-ordinating the study, to see the work for themselves and view the results. It is hoped that this involvement may encourage students to consider a career in science and medicine in the future. 13/05/2003.

Spring message to our supporters. Terry Vasey, LEPRA's Chief-Executive writes:- Over the past weeks a number of people have said to me that they didn’t realise the extent to which LEPRA is involved in other diseases so I focused my Easter/Spring letter to our staff on these issues and we thought it would be a good idea if I shared some of this information with you, the visitors to our site.

By way of explanation, little has been said in the past about other diseases because the programmes are funded by Trusts and Companies, the Department for International Development (DFID) and the European Union. Our Executive Committee has always been extremely careful that funds raised for leprosy are used for leprosy programmes and patients and not for other causes no matter how important they are.

LEPRA has however, been involved with TB since 1988 through the programmes we support in Malawi. Many governments joined leprosy programmes with TB programmes, in Nigeria for example, and this is now true of Brazil and Angola also. The staggering fact is that since tuberculosis was declared a Global Emergency in 1993 over 10 million people have been cured. Can you imagine how many of those would have died if they had not been treated? Worse still, can you imagine how many more people would have been infected and died if they had not been treated?

In some countries, particularly where there is a high incidence of HIV infection, the TB rates have quadrupled since the mid-1980’s. Given that TB is still the biggest cause of death among those people with AIDS, it is impossible to work with one disease and not the other. Through a partnership with the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, which receives funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, we are working with pregnant mothers who are HIV positive so that their children won’t be born with the infection. We are also working with those who are possible carriers of the virus in an attempt to stop it spreading.

We are working with funding from the European Union to assist in tackling the problem of Malaria in India. There are at least 300 million acute cases of malaria each year resulting in more than a million deaths.

As you may have read in the news section below, we have just signed an agreement with Sight Savers International where we expect to have more that 33,500 people coming for assessment and treatment in one unit alone!

It is wonderful therefore to tell you that last year we supported projects which covered a population of over 300 million, and we can all be justly proud of that effort.

Finally I want to thank you most sincerely for all the support you give to us and to those who need our help.

15/04/2003.

World TB Day 2003. World TB Day was celebrated on 24th March and the latest figures show that over 10 million people have been cured since a Global Emergency was declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1993.

However, the WHO reports that the TB epidemic is still growing unabated in sub-Saharan Africa where it is closely linked to HIV/AIDS and poverty. In some of these countries where there is a high prevalence of HIV, TB rates have quadrupled since the mid-1980’s and are threatening to overwhelm established control programmes. In many of the newly independent states arising since the break-up of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the TB problem is exacerbated by poverty and social disruption. Here too the threat from TB is a growing problem that threatens to overwhelm local health services.

In India, more than one million TB patients have been treated since DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment, short course) expansion began in late 1998, and 50,000 new patients are now started on treatment every month. By early 2002 the DOTS program was credited with saving 200,000 lives.

LEPRA India organised a rally in Hyderabad city to celebrate World TB Day and also to get across the message clearly to the residents of the city that today TB, like leprosy, is a disease that can be cured. 07/04/2003.

Sight Savers agreement signed. An important new working partnership between LEPRA and Sight Savers International has recently been formalised and will mean that additional eye care activities in Boudh, Sonepur and Bolangir districts of Orissa can now get underway. A new surgical unit is to be constructed at BOLEP in Sonepur, where patients will be able to receive surgical and diagnostic eye care services. It is expected that 1,500 cataract operations will be conducted at the unit during 2003. The hospital will comprise of a 10-bed ward, operating theatre, out-patient area, laboratory and stores area.

Over 2 million people will have access to these services and approximately 33,500 patients are expected to be referred to the eye unit each year. It is also hoped that this work will be extended to other states in the future. 07/04/2003.

LEPRA joins ShareGift scheme. Do you have a small number of unwanted company shares that just aren't worth the cost of cashing in? Have you received windfall shares, which you would like to donate? Or simply looking for a tax-efficient way of giving to charity? If the answer to any of these questions is 'Yes' we may have the ideal solution to help! LEPRA is just one organisation to benefit from "ShareGift", the charity share donation scheme operated by the Orr Mackintosh Foundation, a registered charity in its own right.

ShareGift accepts donations of shares, however large or small. They collect the shares until there are enough to efficiently sell, and donate the pool of funds created (free of all charges) to charity.

Making a charity donation in the form of shares is also extremely tax-efficient. Individuals can claim back income tax based on the market value of the shares at the time of the donation. For example, at current rates a higher-rate taxpayer who made a £1,000 gift would save £400 on their income tax. You may of course decide to donate this saving directly to charity as well. In addition, donating shares to charity does not attract a gain or a loss for Capital Gains Tax purposes.

Donating shares through ShareGift is very simple. Click on the link below, print off the donation coupon, sign it and post it to ShareGift with your share certificate(s). If you are donating a very small number of shares, please note that ShareGift cannot guarantee to earmark specific donations to nominated charities; however by using the form provided, you will help to ensure that LEPRA continues to benefit from regular donations from the funds distributed by the scheme. Larger donations can be made to specific charities; please contact ShareGift on 0207 337 0501 for further details.

Print out a ShareGift coupon now!

Why not use your unwanted shares to really make a difference! 07/04/2003.

Art For LEPRA. LEPRA supporters can now buy modern art by a young contemporary artist and help LEPRA at the same time.

Sara Beazley is a London-based Fine Art Graduate who has also recently completed an MA in Printmaking. She has exhibited in London and elsewhere and in Februaury 2002 her print Large Blue Bag won the London Print Studio Award at The National Print Exhibition.

We are grateful to Sara for kindly offering to donate a percentage of the proceeds of her work to help LEPRA in its fight against leprosy and poverty diseases. A donation equivalent to 5% of the purchase price of prints and 10% for the purchase price of paintings will be made for every sale. Please click here to access Sara's website where you can see examples of her work. We also hope to be able to feature work by other artists in the future. 07/04/2003.

Obituary – Dr. Michael Joseph Colston 1948 - 2003. It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Dr. Jo Colston on 20^th February. Jo had been a member of LEPRA’s Medical Advisory Board since 1987 and was the Chairman from 1993.

After taking his PhD in medical microbiology, Jo worked in America for three years before returning to the UK in 1982 to work at the National Institute for Medical Research in Mill Hill, London, where he became Head of the Division of Mycobacterial Research. He was a specialist in basic research on infectious diseases, especially TB. He was a highly respected scientist and was the Government’s Advisor on tuberculosis in cattle and wildlife, Co-ordinator of the European Union Consortium on Drug Development. He was an active member of the World Health Organisation’s Committee on Leprosy Research, and sat on many national and international advisory committees. A key member of LEPRA’s Executive Committee, he was also Chairman of the Steering Committee of INFIR (ILEP Co-ordinated Programme of Research on Nerve Function Impairment and Reactions in Leprosy) and a member of the advisory board to the Blue Peter Research Laboratory in India. Dr. Colston was also a member of the British Society of Immunology and the American Society of Microbiology.

Jo was a much-loved member of the LEPRA family and will be sorely missed by all who knew him. He spoke on many occasions to LEPRA staff and possessed the rare skill of being able to present complex medical and research topics in ways which all of us could understand and appreciate. He was an internationally respected scientist at the forefront of research in leprosy and tuberculosis and yet was always the first to remind colleagues that the medical research we supported was pointless unless its benefits could be directly felt by the patients in the field.

We send our deepest condolences to his wife Kay and their two sons Sam and Josh on this tragic, premature loss. 27/02/2003.

A New Chairman for LEPRA India. At the recent LEPRA India Board Meeting, attended by LEPRA UK Chairman, Mrs Prue Scarlett and Chief Executive, Mr Terry Vasey, Dr K V Desikan retired as Chairman of LEPRA India and the new Chairman, Dr S K Rao, was elected.

Dr S K Rao, seen here on a field visit to his home district of Krishna in Andhra Pradesh, has had a long and distinguished career with the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, joining as Chief Economics Officer in 1978 and spending the eight years to 2001 as Director, Strategic Planning and Evaluation Division, reporting directly to the Commonwealth Secretary-General.

During his time at the Secretariat, Dr Rao was involved with work on the transition from Apartheid to post-Apartheid regime in South Africa, the establishment of Ministerial processes for the monitoring of democratic values in Commonwealth countries, the organisation of Commonwealth Finance Ministers and Heads of Government Meetings and the strategic planning and evaluation of the Commonwealth secretariat’s work. He assisted Expert Groups on various economic, social and political issues and held consultations with the IMF and the World Bank. Between 1993 and 2000, he was a member of the Management Committee responsible for the overall management of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

This period of service at the Secretariat was broken during 1986 and 1987 when Dr Rao served as Economic Advisor with the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Textiles in New Delhi. He was also Chairman of the Export Policy Committee during this period.

Dr Rao is an MA and PhD graduate of Trinity College, Cambridge and, indeed, lectured in economics at Cambridge University and Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He has acted as a consultant for the European Union and the United Nations and recently served as a member of the Executive Committee of LEPRA UK before his return to India in 2002.

At present, he is Visiting Professor at the Administrative Staff College of India at Hyderabad and is an Honary Member of the Andhra Pradesh State Economic Advisory Council and a member of the Andhra Pradesh Revenue Reforms Committee.

We are extremely lucky that Dr Rao has agreed to serve as Chairman of LEPRA India and we wish him well as he guides LEPRA India through the next exciting stages of development.

The retiring Chairman, Dr K V Desikan, seen here receiving a silver salver from Dr Ranganadha Rao, Chief Executive of LEPRA India, has been working with people affected by leprosy for over 53 years, the last 14 years of which have been as Chairman of LEPRA India.

Having contracted leprosy himself at the age of 14, he has always had great empathy with those who have leprosy, and has devoted himself tirelessly to the fight against the disease. As a boy, Dr. Desikan had been enormously inspired by the life of Dr. Livingstone, so he studied medicine, qualifying in 1950 from Mysore University. To further his philanthropic aims, he joined the Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation (GMLF) in January 1952 under the "Life Workers’ Scheme" – i.e. those devoting their life to those with leprosy. A new strategy of leprosy control by treatment at home was first conceived by GMLF and Dr. Desikan’s unique contribution to this was his vision of systematic yearly house-to-house surveys for active case finding. This work was so effective that the experimental project became the Indian National Policy for Leprosy Control, and was also later adopted by the World Health Organisation.

He went on to become MD in pathology, and went to the Central Leprosy Teaching and Research Centre in Chingleput to further his studies. From there he took over as Director of the Central JALMA Institute for Leprosy in Agra, where he built up the clinical department and the number of registered patients quickly rose from 7,000 to 25,000 under his gentle and caring leadership. He then went on to become LEPRA’s Clinical Consultant in India, and the Project Director of the Leprosy Histopathology Centre in Sevagram near Wardha.

A truly international scientist with tremendous experience and knowledge, Dr. Desikan has been honoured by many organisations and countries. He is the recipient of the ICMR/JALMA Oration Award, the KC Sahu Gold Medal, the Gold Medal of the Argentina Leprosy Foundation, the Certificate of Honour, Medical Research Institute, Florida Institute of Technology, the Damien-Dutton Award, the International Gandhi Award for services to leprosy work, and most recently was honoured by the Hyderabad Leprosy Control and Health Society with the Dr. Shanti Narayan Mathur Award for his dedicated services to leprosy work for more than five decades.

Dr. Desikan is an inspiration to all those who work with him. Nevertheless, he refuses to take credit for his lifetime achievements: "I owe a debt of gratitude to people who have helped me in my difficult days. The only way of paying them back is by helping others…The work that I have done has only been possible by the kindness of those who have generously donated financially to LEPRA." 14/03/2003.

LEPRA India through the eyes of a supporter. In November 2002 LEPRA ran a Tour of India fundraising event which gave supporters an opportunity to visit some of our projects in India and see at first hand the work that is carried out as a result of their donations. Beryl Gullick & Penny Murch, two long-time supporters of LEPRA, raised the £1,500 cost of the trip and Penny kindly offered to write a report on her trip.

She writes "There can be no better introduction to India than the welcome Beryl and I had from LEPRA India…they opened their hearts to us in their pleasure and pride in their achievements."

"Finding patients in this terrain has not been easy. This part of India has 1.6 million people, half of whom are tribal and widely scattered, reached in many instances by pathways only. Old attitudes still prevail too, so that people were reluctant to come forward. But by careful explanation and demonstration, not only were sufferers brought under treatment, but their family and community were persuaded to accept and care for them again. So successful has been this programme that today one third of all patients bring themselves for treatment voluntarily." If you want to find out more about our next Supporter Trip , please contact Sarah Green on 08451 21 21 21 or Email her at Sarah_Green@lepra.org.uk.

To read Penny’s full report please click here. 14/03/2003.

Cookies for a Cure raises over £14,500. Our Cookies for a Cure campaign during World Leprosy Week (20^th to 26^th January) has so far raised an amazing £14,500.

Highlights of the event included staff at Argos head office in Milton Keynes munching cookies during their lunch break (pictured right), ladies in Devon hosting mass cook-ins, Scouts and Guides throughout the south east cookie baking for their friends, staff at an Essex Building Society selling cookies to customers and a Northamptonshire school student making Cookies for a Cure part of his Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The media played their part, with cookie parties taking place in local radio stations and newspaper offices. Sky Television Community Channel had its own party ‘on air’ and highlighted LEPRA during World Leprosy Week.

Some of the youngest participants were the children of Little Oaks Nursery in Kimberley, Nottinghamshire. Pictured here are children Joshua Evans, Olivia Hartshore, Joshua Lees and Niamh Evans from the nursery at their own Cookie Party along with LEPRA fundraiser Karen Tennant and staff member Michelle Walters. They helped to make and sell cookies to parents and teachers and raised £19.57 towards the appeal total.

We’ve had many letters from people telling us how much fun they had making and baking cookies during World Leprosy Week and we are certainly planning on doing something similar next year. With thanks to everyone who took part and helped us raise such a fantastic amount. 07/03/2003.

Fifty Years of World Leprosy Day. January 26^th 2003 marked the 50^th anniversary of World Leprosy Day, an event which has particular significance in those countries which are still battling the disease.

The girl pictured left is from Alto Molocue district in Zambezia Province, Mozambique. Sheltering from the sun under her parasol, she uses her LEPRA fan to keep herself cool. She was just one of around 5,000 people from Alto Molocue who took part in a huge leprosy awareness campaign at the end of January.

In a three day publicity drive which included street theatre , workshops, live radio broadcasts, church services and interviews with former leprosy patients, LEPRA Mozambique reached an estimated broadcast audience of up to 300,000 people.

Never before had Alto Molocue district seen so much activity and our congratulations and thanks go out to LEPRA’s representative in Mozambique - Dr Wolfgang Hippke - and his wife Jane for the efforts they put in to make World Leprosy Day such a huge success. 07/03/2003.

LEPRA plans new initiatives for 2003. LEPRA's budget for 2003 contained a number of new areas of work, particularly in allied diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Details of new areas of work this year have been outlined below. Where elements of new work have been made conditional on new funds being secured for these activities, these are also shown below.

Projects in India

Frontiers Prevention Project Andhra Pradesh £504,600 This project is taking place in 4 different countries (Madagascar, Ecuador, India and Cambodia). In India, the project will be carried out in state of Andhra Pradesh. LEPRA India has been approached by the HIV/AIDS Alliance, who are funding the entire project, to be the lead organisation responsible for overall implementation of the comprehensive package of interventions in the state.

The project goal is to reduce the incidence of HIV by reducing risk behaviour and the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases. The project strategy is to target the key population groups:

• commercial sex workers
• men who have sex with men
• people living with HIV/AIDS
• intravenous drug users

By reducing HIV transmission among these groups, the spread of HIV more widely in the population as a whole, will be reduced. 26 project sites have been identified, 14 with project activities and 12 as control sites. With the support of key population group members, appropriate project activities will be identified to be carried out by NGOs working in these locations.

The proposed budget for this 5-year programme is around US $8 million.

Prevention, surveillance, care and support services for HIV/AIDS
Andhra Pradesh £475,400

The project area consists of three north-coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh – Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram, Vishakhapatnam.

The project aims include:

• the prevention of the spread of HIV/AIDS among high risk groups,
• the prevention of mother to child transmission
• improving disease surveillance and testing systems of HIV/AIDS
• increasing access to health care services, especially for HIV/AIDS
• strengthening care and support services for people living with HIV/AIDS

The total cost of this 4-year project amounts to £1,707,125. It has been submitted to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, for funding. At the time of going to print, we are still awaiting a decision from them.

Krishna District Project for Integrated Health services
Andhra Pradesh £58,800

Krishna is one of 9 districts in Andhra Pradesh supported by a LEPRA India Technical Support Team, and has a population of 4,218, 416. Leprosy services in the rural part of the district are provided by five government leprosy control units and 3 NGOs. However there are gaps in the coverage of the programme, with no leprosy paramedical workers and with 28% of the population not having access to leprosy services. Therefore, the state government has requested LEPRA India’s support in strengthening the leprosy control programme and functional integration process.

LEPRA India’s support will be given as follows:

• Nuzvid. Placement of paramedical staff in 7 public health centres to support the diagnosis and treatment of leprosy
• Tiruvuru Placement of paramedical staff in 3 public health centres
• Jaggayyapeta, Mcahilipatnam, Kesarapalli. Placement of paramedical workers in 21 public health centres
• Vijayawada Support to the leprosy services (diagnosis and treatment) provided by the Vulep project of the NGO Swiss Emmaus by providing POD/POWD, IEC services and involving the general health staff in leprosy programme of Vijayawada city so that the a comprehensive leprosy programme involving the urban general health services is provided

A detailed situation analysis is currently underway as part of the preparations for submitting a funding application to the Community Fund.

During 2003 this project will carry out leprosy control activities and support functional integration in those areas where LEPRA India has placed its health workers. These activities include disease surveillance, registration and initiation of treatment, complication management, information, education and communication activities, POD/POWD, socio-economic rehabilitation, documentation, capacity building and monitoring and evaluation.

LI will also participate in the district revised national tuberculosis control programme establishing microscopy centres/treatment units and strengthen the DOTS programme.

LI will implement a Behaviour Change Communication strategy and provide for the management of sexually transmitted and other opportunistic diseases as part of its HIV/AIDs activities

Strengthening Health Structures for TB, malaria control and leprosy elimination
Andhra Pradesh £236,000

This five-year project was approved for funding by the EU, and started in January 2003. The project, covering a population of 12 million people, aims to reduce the transmission of TB and malaria, and achieve leprosy elimination in Hyderabad, Medak, Karimnagar and Adilabad districts in AP. In these districts, the tribal population, landless people and women are the most vulnerable groups due to their poverty. The project will undertake local capacity building of public health centres to provide accessible, sustainable, high quality services for the treatment of TB, malaria and leprosy. The project will also promote and facilitate the socio-economic rehabilitation of those most in need. At the same time, it will raise awareness among the population so that communities can contribute effectively to fighting these diseases and their consequences.

Strengthening Tribal Peoples’ capacity for securing effective services
Orissa £130,200

This 5-year project aims to strengthen the capacity of tribal communities to influence the quality and range of health and other public services available to them as a strategy for improving their quality of life. It will support capacity building activities; strengthen networks of local community groups and organisations; facilitate awareness raising, social mobilisation and advocacy actions, as well as specific community health initiatives so that tribal communities are capable of:

• effectively assessing the services they receive
• influencing and demanding quality services which better meet their needs

The intended beneficiaries are the scheduled tribe communities who make up the majority population in Koraput district, Orissa – in particular 63,456 residents living in 264 villages. These villages come under the 14 blocks (administrative units) with the highest prevalence of leprosy and number of cured leprosy patients. Co-funding is being sought from the Civil Society Challenge Fund of DFID.

The total budget for this project is £525,045.

Improving the eye care needs of people affected by leprosy
Orissa £96,000

The project aim is to reduce the incidence of avoidable blindness by promoting better eye health, prevention and treatment of eye care conditions, and by facilitating rehabilitation services to blind people.

Project activities will cover 3 districts, Sonepur, Boudh and Bolangir with a combined population of 2.25 million people.

The first phase of the project (January 2003 – December 2005) will include establishing surgical and diagnostic eye care services at a base hospital in Sonepur (BOLEP) and carrying out a model community based rehabilitation project in collaboration with a local NGO, AYESA, in 2 blocks of Sonepur district. Based on the annual review and evaluation, plans will be developed for the next phases covering a period of 3 – 6 years.

The total budget is £176,769 with most of the funding coming from Sight Savers International.

Projects in Brazil

Mossoró Rio Grande do Norte £7,500 As this project was not funded last year, it has been included for funding in this year’s budget. The project will look to reduce the prevalence of leprosy in Mossoro municipality, which has a population of just over 200,000 people. Activities will include: Setting up a municipal referral service Training health professionals & community health workers in the diagnosis of leprosy Carrying out active case finding Awareness raising campaigns in the areas with highest incidence of leprosy

Production of Adapted Shoes, Sandals and Insoles in Brazil
Sao Paulo State £10,000

This year-long project, which was presented to LEPRA by IDEA, an international organisation which promotes physical, social & economic empowerment, has been split into two components, of which the first component is being funded in 2003:

• Footwear production and training initiative for people affected by leprosy in east Sao Paulo state (Sao Bernardo do Campo)

This component was formulated by an orthopaedic shoemaker who himself was affected by leprosy. Beneficiaries include two project managers, 10 trainees and individuals who will acquire orthopaedic shoes (around 600 people) who will benefit from. The ten trainees, who have been affected by leprosy, will be trained in the production of specialist protective leather footwear at a MORHAN workshop in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

The first component is being funded with support from the Isle of Man Overseas Aid Committee.

Helping poor people in Ceara State to achieve their human rights
Ceara State £32,094

With new funding from the DFID Civil Society Challenge Fund, LEPRA in Brazil will build on the support work with local patient advocacy groups in Ceara State.

The five-year project will support poor people in Ceara State in accessing good quality health and other services. Ceara is one of the poorest states in Brazil. The project aims to strengthen the five MORHAN groups in Ceara State (Fortaleza, Juazeiro, Maracanau, Redencao and Sobral).

The key activities include training workshops, health education campaigns, awareness-raising activities, development and implementation of community action plans, advocacy activities and lobbying of municipal authorities.

In March 2003, LEPRA will also be undertaking a strategic review and evaluation of its work in Brazil. We will also continue to promote the expansion of work to more of the priority municipalities in the four northeastern states.

INFIR 1 Phase 2 £57,300

Whilst the original INFIR study has just been completed, one of the four studies is to continue into a second phase. The original study is proving to be very valuable in identifying the causes of nerve damage, and these important findings are expected to be published very soon. The INFIR 1 Phase 2 follow-up study will continue the work of the first phase by gathering an even larger number of patients, which will help to provide more comprehensive and detailed data over a longer period. The follow up will take 18 months, starting from April 2003.

A contingency budget of £100,000 has been set for research proposals under consideration or which are received in 2003. One new research proposal is currently being assessed and final approval for this application will be made by the Medical Advisory Board in March this year. The project will be funded from this contingency budget if their approval is given.

2003 sees the return of funding for the student medical electives scheme. A budget of £5,000 has been granted in 2003 to support medical students who wish to undertake a leprosy project during their elective periods.

Nepal Leprosy Trust Capacity Building project £17,000

Defaulter project £10,100 (Conditional)

Funding has been approved for two areas of work:

• The third and final year of a three-year commitment to a capacity building project with activities based at Lalgadh Leprosy Services Centre. Trainees will include government health workers, female child health volunteers, persons affected by leprosy, local NGOs, traditional healers, teachers, communities and traditional birth attendants.
• A follow-up project in the districts around Lalgadh to identify why patients default in their treatment. The three districts of the project area, Dhanusha, Mahottari and Sarlahi, are some of the most leprosy endemic areas in Nepal. This follows up from an earlier project in 2001.

China POD Project £10,000

LEPRA will participate in an evaluation of the 3-year funded Prevention of Disability work in Jiangsu, Shandong and Anhui provinces. There are hopes that in at least one of these provinces a small community based rehabilitation project can be set up to begin in mid-2003. 07/03/2003.

Terry Vasey retires as ILEP President. For the past four years, LEPRA’s Chief Executive, Terry Vasey, has also been wearing another hat: that of President of The International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations (ILEP). The ILEP President is elected for a four-year period, and plays an important role internationally in representing ILEP and its members.

ILEP is an international federation of 16 autonomous non-governmental organisations who work collectively for the common goal of a world without leprosy. The ILEP co-ordination system allows members, when required, to join forces to support major initiatives in the field of scientific research, teaching materials, training and to respond to the needs of national programmes, especially in priority countries. More importantly, this co-ordination prevents overlap of effort and ensures that there is no wastage of funds.

At the ILEP General Assembly at Edinburgh in December 2002, the Presidency of ILEP was officially passed to Dr Sunil Deepak of AIFO, Associazione Italiana Amici di Raoul Follereau. Dr Deepak will continue the commitment to ensure that leprosy stays firmly on the international agenda, and that quality services for the treatment and care of people affected by leprosy will be available for as long as they are needed. 30/01/2003.

Committees lead the charge against leprosy. The year 2002 was another good year for LEPRA’s volunteer groups throughout the UK. In a number of cases, the groups have exceeded last year’s fundraising totals and for some it has been their best year ever.

In many respects, the ‘committees’ as LEPRA terms them, are the charity’s unsung heroes. Operating independently but benefiting from as much guidance from head office or the regional managers as they want, committee members are driven by a determination and enthusiasm that sees them running church stalls, organising local collections and hosting coffee mornings and lunches.

Above all, their dedication is inspirational and never was the saying, "Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves" more apt than for one friend of a committee member who collected together £65 simply by picking up coins she found in the street!

If you would like to form a committee in your area – and remember, many of our committees operate with just two or three people – please contact Paul Nixon, Fundraising Director on 01206 216704 or by e-mail at paul_nixon@lepra.org.uk. 30/01/2003.