Udayan

In Bengali, the language of the Indian state of West Bengal, udayan means dawn or new beginning. For the children here, Udayan does indeed represent the dawning of a new life.

Udayan is a secular institution that embraces the three main religions of India: Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. While no religion is specifically taught, all are respected and honoured.

Currently, Udayan has 220 boys and 80 girls in its care, ranging in age from five to 19. All the children here are affected by leprosy in some way. Most of them were born in leprosy colonies and have parents who suffer from the disease. About 5% of the children at Udayan have leprosy themselves. After 6 months of the treatment that their parents are unable to afford, these children are 100% cured.

During their years here, they receive education (through both Bengali and Hindi mediums of instruction), food, clothing, medical care, access to recreational facilities, and vocational training. Udayan is located in the countryside and is surrounded by rice paddies and mango groves. The healthy and peaceful setting of Udayan is very different from the environments these children were born in.

The children stay at Udayan until they complete their education and vocational training. This gives them the opportunity to grow up in an environment free of the crippling stigma associated with leprosy. They leave Udayan’s doors with the education and self-confidence necessary to be productive members of society.

Udayan closes three times a year for approximately two weeks each time to give the children a chance to visit their homes. These children are the only treasures their parents have. It is through them that the families can look forward to a brighter future. Most of the families rely on begging for a living and in many cases, if the children stayed home for any longer than two weeks, malnutrition would be the result.