Our Mission

We are a global Christian development organisation leading the fight against leprosy. Following Jesus Christ, our global mission is rooted in compassion and transformation. For over 150 years, we have worked to restore health, dignity, independence and hope to people affected by leprosy and disability. Our work doesn’t stop with medical care; curing leprosy is just the beginning. Everything we do aims to build life in all its fullness.

Today, Leprosy Still Robs People of Mobility, Family and Dignity

Leprosy is not a disease of the past. It continues to affect millions worldwide. It is cured with a simple course of three antibiotics. But if not diagnosed and treated quickly, leprosy causes extensive nerve damage, disability and blindness.

Stigma and discrimination mean many people with leprosy are still thrown out of families and communities. They are isolated and left to survive by begging. It’s no surprise that many hide their symptoms for as long as possible, living in fear of what will happen to them, and leaving the disease to do its worst.

Leprosy is a devastating but entirely curable disease that continues to affect some of the world’s most vulnerable people. At The Leprosy Mission Great Britain, we are committed to bringing healing, dignity, and hope to individuals and communities suffering from the physical, social, and economic effects of leprosy.

Our Work

We focus on early diagnosis and providing the cure, specialist surgery to restore mobility, health education, fighting discrimination through advocacy at local, national and international levels (including training people affected by leprosy to be advocates), strengthening local health systems, and improving quality of life for people affected by leprosy.

Our projects include specialist leprosy hospitals and healthcare providers, community development programmes (housing and clean water), counseling services to improve mental health, education, training and employment for people affected by leprosy.

Leprosy has the biggest impact on the poorest and most vulnerable in society, especially women and girls. We therefore prioritise these people in our work. We plan sustainable projects that fight both leprosy and poverty. In addition, we meet unexpected and urgent needs caused by political unrest, famine and climate disasters. 

Care in crisis

People affected by leprosy are always the people rocked most by a crisis. They are always the last to be reached, the first to go hungry and the ones left struggling to rebuild their lives.

Incredibly, our global teams continue bravely serving in hostile and troubled environments. Fuelled by your generosity, they are able to work tirelessly to find and cure people of leprosy. Through risking their own lives, they are able to transform the lives of others. People who would otherwise be forgotten and pushed further to the fringes of society.

Your Partnership Can Transform Lives

Every dollar you invest supports sustainable solutions that alleviate poverty and pave the way for positive futures.

With our expertise and a global network of hospitals, research centers, and outreach programs, we ensure that every dollar goes toward sustainable, high-impact solutions.

Ensuring Compliance and Maximizing the Impact of Your Philanthropy

At The Leprosy Mission, we understand the importance of compliance, transparency, and accountability when partnering with U.S. philanthropic organisations. That’s why we work with CAF America, a globally recognized leader in international grant making, to ensure that all donations from US based entities meet the highest standards of IRS compliance, due diligence, and tax deductibility.

Your partnership can be a catalyst for real change to provide medical care, disability prevention, rehabilitation, and economic empowerment for people affected by leprosy.

Let’s work together to create a world where leprosy is no longer a cause of suffering or exclusion.

Contact Us to Learn More

Louise Timmins, Chief Stewardship Officer
Email:  louiset@lm.org.uk
Phone:  0044 7980757645/ 0044 1733 370505
CAF America EIN: 43-1634280
Registered 501(c)(3) Public Charity

Testimonials

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UK Government)

The FCDO supported The Leprosy Mission’s work through UK Aid Match, to detect and treat new cases of leprosy in Mozambique.  The technical review of project achievements, taking in to account outcomes, disability inclusion, gender equality and sustainability was a grade A.   Despite significant operational challenges related to insurgency in Cabo Delgado,  the project made substantial progress in detecting and treating leprosy cases. This was a testament to effective community mobilisation efforts and communication strategy. 

St Francis Leprosy Guild

I am pleased to endorsing The Leprosy Mission for partnerships and funding opportunities as a partner for over five years. We have consistently been impressed by their dedication and impact in the global fight against leprosy.

TLM has been a valued partner for research and projects, particularly for a case finding project in Meherpur, Bangladesh. This initiative successfully identified and confirmed new leprosy cases through house-to-house screening and contact tracing. The project also strengthened the capacity of local government health workers and community volunteers, improving early detection and reducing diagnostic delays. We are proud to support this project, which exemplifies the meaningful, community-based impact we strive for in our partnerships.

From a compliance and management perspective, The Leprosy Mission consistently meets all reporting requirements. They submit timely and thorough financial and narrative reports, including detailed data, supporting documents, case studies, and images. Our interactions with their team, both in-person and through collaborative events, have confirmed they are a professional, respected, and trusted organisation within the sector.

St Francis Leprosy Guild wholeheartedly recommends them as a capable and dependable partner.

Comic Relief

The Leprosy Mission has had such a positive impact on children and young people affected by leprosy and lymphatic filariasis in Central and Northern Nigeria -through the Open Minds project which was funded by Comic Relief.

The project’s achievements have been impressive; in particular shifts towards more supportive and inclusive communities and a documented decrease in depression rates. The continued focus on sustainable change is fantastic, and we were pleased to hear that the Wellness Connect helpline will continue to support people beyond the project. The Leprosy Mission significantly surpassed targets in terms of reach, despite the challenging security situation. It was great to see very informative videos and case stories collected as part of this work.  It is also encouraging to hear you have won the Intersect Consortium award for Outstanding NGO on Mental Health.

Z V M Rangoonwala Foundation

It is with great pleasure that we provide this letter of reference for The Leprosy Mission, with whom we enjoyed a highly successful and collaborative two-year partnership.

The Rangoonwala Foundation had the privilege of supporting The Leprosy Mission in their impactful work at the Chanchaga Orthopaedic Centre in Niger State, Nigeria — the only centre in the country specialising in leprosy-related disabilities. Through our partnership, we were able to fund a vital project providing artificial limbs, protective footwear, orthotics, and mobility aids to more than 800 individuals affected by leprosy and/or disability each year. 

Throughout the duration of our partnership, The Leprosy Mission demonstrated the utmost professionalism. They were consistently reliable, responsive, and accommodating, and it was truly a pleasure to work with their team. We particularly appreciated their commitment to transparency and accountability, with clear and timely reporting that gave us full confidence in the quality and impact of the work being carried out.

The outcomes of this project have been both tangible and transformative. The mobility aids funded through this grant have not only restored physical function but have also brought renewed dignity, independence, and opportunity to hundreds of individuals who are often among the most marginalised in society.

We would not hesitate to recommend The Leprosy Mission as a partner in any future endeavour. Their dedication and deep commitment to improving lives through sustainable and compassionate action make them an exceptional organisation.

St Lazarus Charitable Trust

The St Lazarus Charitable Trust is an ecumenical Christian organisation dedicated to work for the alleviation of leprosy and other related conditions. The St Lazarus Charitable Trust runs an annual appeal for World Leprosy Day (the last Sunday in January). Each annual appeal is for a specific targeted leprosy project. For the past five years The St Lazarus Charitable Trust has worked closely with The Leprosy Mission to raise money for specific projects across Africa and Asia run by The Leprosy Mission.

I chair an appeals panel comprising of members with a wide range of experience in medicine, medical related fields and fundraising. That panel undertakes the due diligence on any project that we offer to our members for the next World Leprosy Day appeal. Our experience is that The Leprosy Mission provides well researched projects with specific aims that are clearly costed. This makes the projects easy to promote amongst our membership. My own experience is that our members respond well with great generosity to a project that has a specific aim. When the project has closed and the money forwarded to The Leprosy Mission, we have been very impressed with the feedback we receive describing how the monies have been spent. Projects that have a positive impact in improving the quality of life of those who aim to help always prove popular with our membership. 

The Leprosy Mission is an ideal partner for The St Lazarus Charitable Trust for these projects.

The James Tudor Foundation

The James Tudor Foundation has supported The Leprosy Mission for 20 years and we have admired the professionalism and determination of achieving results in some of the most challenging circumstances. One of our best memories was repurposing a grant because, thanks to the steadfast work of The Leprosy Mission in a particular location, the need for its intervention had vastly decreased – these are real life results that make a real difference to real people. We are very glad that our modest contribution over the years has helped the charity to achieve such transformational results for the communities it serves.

Laura Serratrice, CEO The James Tudor Foundation.