Autumn inTouch Magazine 2026

INTOUCH

Autumn 2026

Turning the Tide on Leprosy with Clean Water

Welcome

I’m delighted to welcome you to the first edition of inTouch for 2026.

As we begin another year together, my thanks for the incredible kindness and compassion you have shown over the past 12 months.

Through your support, we have seen God at work in remarkable ways across India, TimorLeste, Papua New Guinea, Nepal and many other communities where the Leprosy Mission serves.

Because of you, people affected by leprosy are finding healing, dignity and hope.

As we journey through the year, I pray that you and your family will know God’s presence and provision in every area of life.

I have had the privilege of meeting many whose lives have been affected by leprosy. I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact the disease can have, but I’ve also witnessed something even more powerful: HOPE.

Hope made possible by the dedicated hospital staff teams, the commitment of community volunteers, as well as the faithful prayers and support you give.

The good news is that leprosy can be cured. The treatment, known as multi-drug therapy (MDT), is effective, widely available, and provided free in many countries where the Leprosy Mission works.

Access to MDT is the bridge the Mission provides.

But there is one crucial factor that determines whether someone experiences a full recovery or lifelong disability: how early the disease is diagnosed.

When treatment is delayed, the bacteria can damage the nerves in a person’s hands, feet and eyes. Over time, this nerve damage can lead to loss of sensation, muscle weakness, and in severe cases, permanent disability.

Injuries can go unnoticed because a person cannot feel pain, and small wounds may develop into serious infections.

It breaks my heart to think about Tinio and his family in Timor-Leste. Because his diagnosis came too late, leprosy caused devastating damage to his body and left him unable to work to provide for his family.

Tinio’s story reminds us why early diagnosis is so important and why this work must continue.

With ongoing support from the NZ Government and supporters like you, we are strengthening the Mission work in Timor-Leste through the Preventative Health and Community Empowerment (PHACE) programme.

Today, this programme is reaching people across 19 communities in Timor-Leste, helping families access diagnosis, treatment and support where it is needed most.

In this edition of inTouch, you will also meet Leticia, a 15 year old girl in Timor-Leste whose story shows what early diagnosis can make possible.

When she began to notice unusual patches on her leg, she was referred to a health post. There, she was diagnosed quickly and immediately began treatment. You can read more about Leticia’s journey on pages 10-11.

“As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. “ Psalm 71:14

Because of supporters like you, children like Leticia do not have to face the devastating consequences that Tinio experienced. Instead, they are receiving treatment early, and their hopes and dreams are being restored.

Every day, people affected by leprosy are being cured in communities across TimorLeste and beyond. When people receive multi-drug therapy and learn that the disease can be cured, fear begins to fade and they can begin to look to the future with hope again.

I’m deeply grateful that we can count on the expertise and dedication of health workers and community volunteers who serve tirelessly in countries like Timor-Leste. Their work, made possible through your support, is changing lives every day.

My prayer is that this edition of inTouch will encourage and inspire you as you read the stories of people like Ajay and Leticia, whose lives are being renewed after leprosy cast a shadow over their dreams.

Introducing the incredible Leprosy Mission team in Timor-Leste.

Thank you for making this life-changing work possible!

Please continue to keep the Mission’s work and people with a lived experience of leprosy in your thoughts and prayers.

God Bless,

Gillian Whitley Executive Director

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH US!

We attach our annual supporter survey to this magazine.

As part of the Leprosy Mission family, your feedback is important to us as we work together to achieve No Child with Leprosy

God bless,

Staying connected by email helps reduce postage costs, so more of your support goes directly to those in need. It also ensures you receive the latest mission updates and lifetransforming stories.

Gillian Whitley Executive Director

leprosymission.org.nz/ SupporterSurvey2026 by 2035. If you’re able to update your email address, you’ll also go in the draw to win a special selection of artisan products from the countries you support.

Alternatively, you can use your smartphone to scan this QR code to complete the survey or visit

Ajay’s Cure One Journey

Being cured by you!

Last year, we introduced you to 11-year-old Ajay from India. His childhood was meant to be filled with play, learning and dreams; instead, it was overshadowed by leprosy and poverty.

Ajay lived quietly in a crowded household, carefully hiding his condition from the outside world. It began with small patches of numbness on his hands.

Like many families unfamiliar with leprosy, Ajay’s family sought help from a local healer. Sadly, these treatments delayed effective medical care and allowed the disease to progress.

By the time the Leprosy Mission team met Ajay, leprosy had already caused permanent damage to his little body.

His hands no longer responded as they once had. Fingers curled inward, refusing to obey, and everyday tasks became difficult.

Even more devastating, Ajay could no longer feel pain — the very gift that warns us of danger.

Then came a turning point.

Hope arrived through the kindness of a neighbour, who guided Ajay’s family to the Leprosy Mission Naini Hospital, a place where excellent medical care is provided alongside compassion and dignity.

Because of Cure One supporters like you, Ajay finally received a correct diagnosis and began the essential multi-drug therapy to cure his leprosy. He is in the final months of his one-year treatment.

Nurses at the hospital continue to check on Ajay regularly, ensuring he takes his daily medication and receives the care he needs, so that he can be free of leprosy forever.

Ajay is being reminded that he is seen, valued and not alone.

Cared for by you!

Ajay is in the safe hands of dedicated doctors and nurses. He has recently undergone three reconstructive surgeries for his clawed hands and is recovering well.

During his hospital stay, he received regular physiotherapy to help him regain strength and mobility.

Ajay is also being treated with antibiotics for his leprosy reaction. It is a serious immune response that can occur even after treatment has begun or bacteria have been killed.

These reactions are difficult and often require long hospital stays, patience and attentive medical care.

With his parents facing their own challenges, Ajay’s whole world rests on his grandfather’s shoulders. But now, thanks to your love and compassion, that burden is no longer carried alone.

Thank you for bringing children affected by leprosy, like Ajay, healing and real hope for a brighter future.

Ajay’s next step

Ajay’s journey back to school is beginning to take shape. Through the Cure One Programme, he will have the support he needs to return to the classroom and continue his education.

Ajay can rebuild the life that leprosy tried to take from him. He can regain his confidence and step into a brighter future with hope.

It is wonderful to share his progress with you. In the coming months, you will see how the next stage of his journey of restoration unfolds.

A Vehicle of Hope

High in the hills and valleys of Nepal, many people affected by leprosy remain hidden within their remote communities. Reaching medical care can be incredibly difficult.

For some families, the journey to Anandaban Hospital means walking for days along steep mountain paths or enduring long, crowded journeys on public transport.

Following the devastating landslides that affected the Kathmandu Valley in 2024, travel has become even more challenging. Roads have been damaged, routes disrupted, and for those already living in poverty, the cost and difficulty of travel can feel impossible.

Too often, people delay seeking treatment because they simply cannot afford to stop working or leave their families behind for such a long and uncertain journey.

Yet leprosy, when detected early, is completely curable. Left untreated, leprosy can cause permanent disability.

This is where your compassion has made a life-changing difference.

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported the 2025 Youth Advocates in their mission to raise over $30,000 towards a brand new vehicle for Anandaban Hospital.

This vehicle enables medical teams to travel beyond the hospital walls. It carries specialist staff, medicines and vital equipment to satellite clinics and remote villages where healthcare is difficult to reach.

In areas where roads are rough, infrastructure is limited and communities are widely scattered, this vehicle helps bridge the gap between isolation and life-saving healthcare.

The new vehicle is already transforming how care reaches people who would otherwise remain unseen.

With a reliable vehicle, outreach teams can now travel further and more regularly to detect leprosy early within communities.

They are able to screen family members and close contacts, helping to stop the disease from spreading and ensuring treatment begins before disability occurs.

The vehicle also allows teams to visit schools in rural villages, where children receive free health check-ups and hygiene packs — simple yet powerful resources many families would otherwise struggle to afford.

Additionally, the new vehicle is electric, making it more efficient and reducing running costs as staff travel across Nepal’s challenging terrain.

This means more resources can be directed towards patient care as the numbers below remind us how much there is to do.

You are helping bring healing within reach!

467

2,907

308

hidden cases of leprosy were diagnosed through community outreach in Nepal.

patients received physiotherapy at Anandaban Hospital.

patients received counselling.

Each of these numbers represents a life changed someone who is now receiving care, healing and hope for the future.

Thank you for helping bring life-changing healthcare within reach for people affected by leprosy in Nepal. Your kindness is truly making the journey to healing possible.

Youth Advocates 2026

Engaging young people in the Mission is a responsibility we embrace with great joy and enthusiasm.

Earlier this year in January, the eight Youth Advocates for 2026 travelled to Nepal and witnessed firsthand the life-changing work of the Leprosy Mission. While they were in Nepal, they spent time at Anandaban Hospital, a centre of excellence for leprosy treatment, rehabilitation and research.

What they experienced left a lasting impression.

Now, together, the Youth Advocates have set an ambitious goal: to raise NZ$34,650 for a new 4WD (four-wheel drive) ambulance for Anandaban Hospital, a vehicle that will serve as a vital lifeline for people affected by leprosy and for surrounding communities in times of urgent medical need.

During their visit, the TLM Country Leader in Nepal, Shovakhar Kandel, spoke candidly with the group about the hospital’s current ambulance. It operates around the clock, responding to emergencies 24 hours a day.

But there is a problem. It is only a two-wheel drive vehicle, poorly suited to Nepal’s steep hills and rugged roads.

Frequent breakdowns mean the ambulance is often off the road for repairs. And when it is running, the journey can be uncomfortable and unsafe for both patients and medical staff.

After travelling Nepal’s roads themselves, the Youth Advocates quickly understood the challenge. And these were not even the most remote routes.

A reliable ambulance is not simply about convenience, it is about access to lifesaving care.

A new four-wheel drive ambulance would be able to navigate rugged terrain, climb steep hills and reach communities the current vehicle cannot.

Faster response times would mean earlier diagnosis, timely multidrug therapy, effective management of leprosy reactions, access to reconstructive surgery, disability care and urgent emergency treatment.

When leprosy is treated early, nerve damage can be prevented. But delays can lead to lifelong disability.

In medical emergencies, severe infections, accidents, or sudden life-threatening conditions, timely access to hospital care can be the difference between survival and tragedy.

This ambulance will not only serve people affected by leprosy but also respond to urgent medical needs across surrounding communities, because a health system that serves people with dignity must serve the wider community with compassion.

The new ambulance is not simply a vehicle. It is a lifeline in the fight against leprosy and in moments of crisis when every minute matters.

A Life-Changing Experience

The Youth Advocates returned to New Zealand with a renewed sense of purpose.

Emma, who hopes to pursue a career in medicine, was particularly impacted by the time spent inside the hospital.

“Watching the surgeries at Anandaban Hospital was incredible and an experience I will cherish forever. Speaking with the surgeon and seeing his passion to help patients helped me understand just how life-changing these procedures are. The hospital staff were also so inspiring. Their love for every patient was evident.”

Understanding Leprosy Beyond the Disease

For Youth Advocate Lovese, meeting people with a lived experience of leprosy revealed something she had never fully understood before.

“Hearing patients share how stigma had affected their families and relationships was heartbreaking … some people spoke about broken marriages or friends abandoning them out of fear of the disease. Looking through the microscope at the bacteria and seeing the blister packs of antibiotics showed how treatable leprosy is when diagnosed early. I wish more people understood that.”

For Ramon, the experience strengthened his desire to educate others about leprosy.

“Seeing the physical effects of untreated leprosy and how much fear still surrounds the disease really challenges me to educate people back home.” Come with us in 2027! Applications are open now!

For more information, please go to leprosymission.org.nz/youth-advocates

The Power of Early Diagnosis

You might remember Nila, a bright 13-year-old girl from Timor-Leste, whose life was transformed through your support of the PHACE (Preventative Health and Community Empowerment) programme.

After being completely cured of leprosy, Nila chose to turn her experience into something powerful. She became an advocate in her community, encouraging others to speak up and seek help.

One of those people was her cousin, Leticia.

At just 15 years old, Leticia should be spending her days laughing with friends, studying for school, and dreaming about her future.

Instead, she found herself facing something she did not understand, a disease surrounded by fear and misunderstanding.

One day, Leticia noticed some small patches on her right leg. At first, her family didn’t realise what it might mean. But soon she began to notice something more alarming: she was losing sensation in her leg!

Recognising something wasn’t right, Nila’s mother acted quickly, taking Leticia to a doctor, who referred her for further testing.

There, the diagnosis was confirmed, and she was put on multi-drug therapy, the cure for leprosy.

For Leticia, despite the availability of treatment, the diagnosis brought deep fear and sadness. Soon, the stigma surrounding the disease began to affect her daily life.

Friends at school started avoiding her. Children she once laughed and played with no longer wanted to be near her. Even some of her relatives spoke harshly out of fear.

For a young girl already living in a crowded household with her parents, grandparents and siblings, the emotional weight of rejection was overwhelming.

“I feel sad and ashamed after being diagnosed,” Leticia shared quietly. “Sometimes I don’t even feel like going to school.”

Thankfully Leticia was not alone.

Nila walked closely beside her cousin throughout her journey. Having experienced healing herself, she gently encouraged Leticia to stay on the treatment and not to be ashamed. She reminded her of the truth: leprosy is curable.

And that truth changes everything.

Today, leprosy is completely curable with a course of antibiotics known as multidrug therapy (MDT). When diagnosed early, treatment can stop the disease before it causes permanent nerve damage and disability.

But sadly, many face challenges that delay seeking help.

Stigma and misunderstanding can cause people to hide their symptoms, sometimes for months or even years. By the time they receive treatment, the disease may have already caused lasting damage.

This is why early diagnosis is so important.

When leprosy is found early, disability can be prevented and people can continue living full and hopeful lives.

Thanks to the dedication and care of the Leprosy Mission team in Timor-Leste and the compassion of supporters like you, Leticia did not need to face this journey alone.

She was diagnosed early and began treatment straight away. Today, she is on the road to recovery.

“If the Leprosy Mission wasn’t there to help, I wouldn’t be going to school anymore... I wouldn’t have a school bag for my books, and I would be wearing shoes with holes.”

Leticia also received practical support that helps her continue her education: school materials, food, and medicine — essentials that allow her to keep learning and moving forward.

Despite everything she has experienced, Leticia continues to study each evening after dinner, holding onto a dream. The care she received has inspired her to help people who are sick, just like the doctors who helped her.

Leticia’s story reminds us of two powerful truths. First, leprosy can be cured. Second, the earlier it is diagnosed, the greater the chance of preventing lifelong disability and restoring hope.

Thanks to NZ supporters like you, today Leticia is safe and supported. Yet fear and stigma often mean treatment is delayed, leaving many people hidden from care.

Your continued support helps reach people sooner, bringing early diagnosis, life-saving treatment and compassionate care to those who need it most.

Together, we can ensure that more children and families affected by leprosy, like Leticia’s receive the urgent cure and help, before leprosy has the chance to steal their health, their confidence and their future.

Thank you for standing with families in Timor-Leste and for keeping them in your prayers. We would also love to pray for you and your family. If you have any prayer needs, you can share them with us online by scanning this QR code, or call us on 0800 862 873.

Building Climate Resilient Communities in Papua New Guinea

Access to clean water is essential for good healthcare, yet in many remote communities in Papua New Guinea, it has long been a daily struggle. Water scarcity threatens hygiene, sanitation, and patient care.

Through the Climate Change Resilience Programme (CCRP), in partnership with MFAT and the Leprosy Mission PNG, vital infrastructure upgrades at Matairuka Health Facility and Kaparoko Aid Post are making a real difference in people’s lives.

Now in its third year, CCRP is strengthening community ownership of climate adaptation by building local leadership and decisionmaking, expanding practical skills, and ensuring climate-resilient Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure improves daily life for households affected by increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather.

The programme is reaching the most climate-vulnerable coastal and peri-urban communities in PNG, with communities reporting tangible benefits.

By securing reliable water sources, families are better able to cope with prolonged droughts, saline intrusion and other climate-driven challenges that once disrupted healthcare, sanitation and daily life.

A Health Facility Restored, A Community Renewed

For years, families in Matairuka Village had to plan their health needs around the weather. During dry seasons, the local health facility often closed, not because there were no health workers, but because there was no water.

Today, that story has changed.

Through the Climate Change Resilience Programme, the Leprosy Mission partnered with the Matairuka community to restore and strengthen the local health facility, ensuring it remains open even during prolonged dry seasons.

What was once an unreliable health post is now a clean, safe, and climateresilient health facility serving over 5,000 people in Papua New Guinea.

Healthcare is no longer interrupted by the climate.

At the heart of this transformation is Ibin, the facility’s sole health worker. Before the project, Ibin carried buckets of water from his own home just to provide basic care, a daily challenge that compromised hygiene and safety.

Thanks to the support from New Zealand, water tanks were installed, along with sanitation facilities, sinks, and washing areas.

Just as importantly, Ibin and community members received training in water management, hygiene and maintenance.

Now, healthcare continues uninterrupted.

Patients wash their hands, toilets function and babies are delivered in safe conditions.

The community has embraced local ownership of water management, and more people are seeking care with confidence, knowing the facility will be open when they need it most.

Because of what was learned in Matairuka, this integrated model is now being scaled up to other vulnerable health facilities in PNG, ensuring that even more communities can access reliable, climate-resilient healthcare.

A health facility once at risk of closure is now a place of hope — open, resilient, and ready to serve, no matter the season.

Secure Ways to Give

We really value your support, and we want to make it easy for you to continue your vital donations to help people affected by leprosy.

So here are some easy and secure giving options you might want to consider:

Online Banking

If you have set up online banking with your bank, we are a registered biller so you can look us up by name (Leprosy Mission New Zealand) to make a donation that way.

You can also donate directly to our BNZ bank account. Bank: Bank of New Zealand Account Name: Leprosy Mission New Zealand Account Number: 02 0264 0029018 005

Particulars: ‘ your name ‘ Reference: ‘supporter number (if known) or ‘your phone number’

Leprosy Mission NZ Website

You can make a secure payment direct on our website with a debit/ credit card at leprosymission.org.nz/donate

Telephone

Talk to us directly at the Leprosy Mission office in Auckland on the free phone number 0800 862 873 and you can make a secure debit/credit card donation payment over the phone. (Office hours: Monday to Friday 9:00am-4:00pm).

Remember to save our number to your contacts so you know when we call.

Visit Your Local Branch

You can make a donation during your regular visit to the bank. Leprosy Mission New Zealand bank account is: 02 0264 0029018 005 In reference field, please put your name and phone number (and supporter number if you know it).

Youth Advocate Scholarship

A journey to Nepal: where compassion meets action

Each year, we choose a group of enthusiastic young people (18-25 years old) to become advocates for the vital work we do with people affected by leprosy and their families.

Wed 6 May 2026

The theme for this year is ‘Body, Soul and Spirit – God’s love for the whole person.’

Prayer is central to what we do, and we are bringing our staff, people affected by leprosy, supporters and volunteers to unite in prayer for No Child with Leprosy by 2035.

All 27 countries within the Global Fellowship of the Leprosy Mission are setting aside the 6th of May 2026 in prayer. There will be global prayer sessions for supporters like you to join with others around the world through Zoom (the link will be available on our website).

This is a life-changing experience that will shift their perspective on what is truly important, whilst they make some amazing friends along the way.

If you know of any suitable young people in your family or church, please encourage them to apply!

Scan this to hear some powerful reflections from our past Youth Advocates, or visit our website at leprosymission.org.nz/YAS-2027

If you want to know more about the Global Day of Prayer, please contact Nadia on 022 199 5758 or email Nadia.Paul@leprosymission.org.nz

A gift that lasts beyond your lifetime

During your lifetime, the number of people affected by leprosy has fallen dramatically. Yet many are still living with its impact. God cares deeply for each one and we know you do too.

By including a gift in your Will, you can help ensure there is hope, light and life for those still affected by leprosy in the years to come.

Your bequest costs nothing now, but in the future your gift can transform lives affected by leprosy by reaching those who are most vulnerable and often overlooked.

While we can’t take what we have with us, we can choose the difference it will make.

Your legacy can be a world where everyone is cured, healed and included.

For more information about leaving a Bequest in your Will, please call Nadia on 022 199 5758 or email: Nadia.Paul@leprosymission.org.nz