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On 2 May 2009 Mr James Tejosh Das took over as country leader for The Leprosy Mission Bangladesh.  From this post he will fight for the rights of people affected by leprosy and the elimination of the disease.  Although officially the disease was declared eliminated in Bangladesh in 1998, statistics show that there is a long fight ahead.

Read more here

FAIZABAD, India: The Leprosy Mission Vocational Training Centre (VTC) has partnered with the Mahindra Institute of Learning Excellence (MILE) for the training of diesel mechanic students for one year.  The Mahindra Institute's instructor will give two days training a month, over six months, to the students on the VTC premises.

To give better exposure to the students, the Institute has agreed to organise day-long training at their Lucknow-based Institute where they will be exposed to advanced technology.  This day-long monthly training will continue for a further six months. In-plant training will also be held.

After completion of the training the Mahindra Institute will give a certificate of participation to the students. MILE manager, Mr Tripathi, has donated some of the latest equipment to the VTC which will be utilised during the student's training.
 
MILE's Customer Care Manager Mr Manoj Kumar, conducted campus interviews for diesel mechanics and selected three people from the VTC.  He also assured the VTC of better employment opportunities at the Mahindra Institute for VTC graduates.

CHAMPA, India: Two well-known companies - Shivam Motors Pvt Ltd, TATA Motors and Vidya Electricals have recently conducted campus interviews at the Vocational Training Centre (VTC) premises to choose suitable candidates for the job.

Shivam Motors has interviewed 20 diesel mechanic students of which eight have been chosen to be mechanics. These VTC graduates are now employed with the company based at Champa on a reasonable monthly salary.

Vidya Electrical has interviewed 18 graduates, 9 of whom were offered employment.

Pre-admission Counseling: Earlier, in an efforts to reach out to more students Champa VTC has organized pre-admission counseling meetings in around five states, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orrisa, and Bihar to spot needy students for vocational training.

Meetings were also held at leprosy colonies, leprosy ashrams, NGOs, and hospitals to create awareness about VTC training courses and employment prospects amongst needy students for admission in the  2009-2010 year.

Dr Ruth had longed to work with people affected by leprosy since she first heard about The Leprosy Mission as a teenager.  She says  'It was my privilege to serve as a doctor for 25 years in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, over the period when leprosy has almost been eliminated from the world; it was a great adventure which brought me into contact with many inspiring people and gave the satisfaction of seeing many people healed. Yet today I am sad that so much remains to be done and so many leprosy-affected people still suffer unnecessarily'

Read Ruth's story in her own words on the BBC's 'My Story' website

Laizu's father realised from a public health awareness programme that his daughter probably had leprosy.  He took her to a clinic where she was correctly diagnosed and given a course of multidrug therapy treatment.

The Leprosy Mission also helped to train Laizu as a tailor and helped to secure the future for her and her family.

Read more about Laizu's story here