Chattu noticed small blisters on his hands. They did not hurt, so he thought little of them. At the time, he was busy working at the airport, building a future for his family and enjoying life with his young daughter.
Years passed, but the disease was quietly progressing. His hands became stiff and began to claw. He lost strength and energy, and wounds appeared on his feet that would not heal. Gradually, leprosy took away his ability to work and provide for his family. “I couldn’t understand what was happening to me,” Chattu recalls. “The problems started in my hands and then affected my eyes. I could no longer close one eye properly, and the wounds on my feet just wouldn’t heal.”
By the time Chattu finally received a diagnosis, he had already developed serious disabilities caused by leprosy. The turning point came when he attended a skin camp run through the Dignity First project, supported by people like you. There, he learned for the first time that leprosy was the cause of his suffering.
The diagnosis opened the door to the help Chattu desperately needed. Through the project, he was started on multidrug therapy and referred to Anandaban Hospital for specialist treatment. In the years that followed, he received care for his ulcers and reconstructive surgery on his hand, helping him regain function and independence.
But recovery brought new challenges. Chattu had been earning a living by travelling from village to village selling soap. Treatment, surgery, and the lasting effects of leprosy made that work impossible.
“I knew I had to find another way,” he says. “I couldn’t continue doing such physical work, and my family depended on me.”
With determination and support, Chattu began rebuilding his life. He used what resources he had to open a small grocery shop, selling sweets and everyday essentials in his community. The shop provided a more stable source of income and allowed him to continue supporting his family.
Your support helped in another important way too. Chattu joined a local self-help group for people affected by leprosy, where he found encouragement, friendship, and a new sense of purpose. Today, he is one of the group’s key leaders. He has worked tirelessly to advocate for the needs of people affected by leprosy and successfully secured funding from the local municipality to strengthen the group’s activities.
More recently, Chattu participated in Advocacy and Leadership Training through the Dignity Phase II project. Equipped with new skills and confidence, he is helping ensure that other people affected by leprosy can access the support, opportunities, and dignity they deserve.
Today, Chattu is not only providing for his family through his small business. He is also using his experience to support others facing the challenges he once faced alone.
Thanks to supporters like you, Chattu’s story did not end with disability and loss. Instead, it became a story of treatment, recovery, renewed purpose, and hope for the future.
If you feel led to pray for Chattu and persons affected by leprosy here are some helpful prayer points;
– Pray for our community teams around the world who help spread awareness and educate about the early signs and symptoms of leprosy. That they would be effective in their work and more people could be found and cured of leprosy early.
– Pray for training and support programmes like the one Chattu went through. That they would help restore confidence and give livelihood support.
– Give thanks for Chattu and his family. That he has been found and cured of leprosy. Pray for the who team of Doctors, Nurses, Physios and other staff who are part of this healing work every day. That God would bless them and they would never lack the means to complete this healing work in Jesus’ name!