Over 400 people afflicted by leprosy have found shelter, care and job opportunities in the Mahatma Gandhi Kuxtt Ashram at Gandhi Nagar, Bhopal built by Society of Pilar, Bhopal is the shelter for leprosy patients.
Patients, who have been cured of leprosy, live with their families and work in the community in either the rehabilitative workshop or in other areas. A dedicated medical officer attends to their needs. Children of leprosy parentage are able to live in this community, away from the stigma that surrounds this disease. They attend local schools and receive support and guidance to join professional training to follow a vocation of their choice.
This is to ascertain that all the works, charitable, health care, developmental, etc in the Catholic Church are carried out under the patronage of the Archdiocese of Bhopal. The Church often engages herself with the works or services, which are not being carried out by many others.
leo Cornelio, Archbishop of Bhopal said, “Our mission is to provide relief in the fields of leprosy cured; Our services provide relief and rehabilitation to those in need, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.”
There are 23 children out of which 19 are girl and are being educated with the help of society of pillar. All the expenses are taken care by the society and children are doing well in regular and professional education like MBA, MSW, BSc in Nursing, graduation etc and younger are in the high school. Fr Franklin personally keeps the track of all the leprosy patients and their children’s problem and tries to solve at the earliest.
Mahatma Gandhi Kuxtt Ashram was built in 1987 as leprosy colony with the help of Indienhilfe, Germany.