By Winter Johnson
A strange white patch on his left arm in 1982 was the only indication that something was wrong for Mohammed Nasim, who was working as a tailoring master in Delhi at the time. A visit to a doctor in Purnia (his village), confirmed the diagnosis of leprosy — a disease he had never even heard of but one that would change his life forever.
With little understanding of the illness, he turned to naturopathic remedies and left his role as a tailoring master “quite quickly” after his diagnosis. However, these remedies were ineffective and his condition worsened and spread to his legs, leading to infection and leaving him unable to stand for long periods. For 10 years he suffered from the debilitating effects of leprosy, sewing clothes at home to make ends meet, until he was admitted to Nirmala Hospital in Delhi in 1992 for the multi-drug therapy that would cure him of his leprosy — although he would continue to struggle with the impact of the condition on his body.
It was at the Nirmala Hospital that he heard about the newly constructed Village of HOPE from a hospital employee. He and his wife, daughter, and three sons moved into the Village in 1995.
Now 62, Nasim remembers how he felt after moving to the Village: “I was so happy. I had my own house; I was able to work, and I had a roof over my head.”
Despite the effects of leprosy, which has now left him without his fingers and toes, unable to work and limping as he walks, he takes pleasure in the simple things, like spending time with his family and other bandaging unit patients daily. He typically wakes at 7 a.m. and has a quick breakfast, perhaps a cup of strong Indian tea and chapati served with an egg. Then it’s off to the bandaging unit for daily treatment of his wounds, consisting of saline and bandages, and when necessary, medication.
When speaking to me about his experience at the Village of HOPE, Nasim was quick to express his gratitude for the tricycles that allow him to get around independently, the daily care of the bandaging unit staff, and of course, the generosity of the donors who have made it all possible.
“The support has transformed my life and made it easier,” Nasim said as he spoke about the generosity of the Village of HOPE supporters. “May God bless their family and their children for their support.”
A donation of £50 can provide bandages for a patient at the Village of HOPE for approximately 80 days. Click to support the Village of HOPE.
