This is Mr Sunni Lal and Mrs Sanunani Rayamajhi and their daughter Sumitra. Both Mr and Mrs Rayamajhi were incarcerated in Khokana leprosy colony over 50 years ago. Sadly, both are very disfigured and disabled because they suffered harmful ineffective treatments for many years until finally in 1998, they were given a multidrug therapy which cures leprosy.

During their years of incarceration they fell in love, married and produced a beautiful daughter Sumitra. Sumitra was brought up in the medieval environment of the isolated leprosy colony, Khokana. The inhabitants live with their chickens, rabbits and ducks on the dirt floor underneath their straw beds. There was no running water, no electricity and life was very difficult especially for those who had lost their hands and feet to the disease. Sumitra has been educated in a state school and went on to do a nurse auxillary course. However Sumitra could not get a job because she is, what is known as a leprosy affected person even though she has never had the disease. It was at this point in her life that Promise Nepal and Dr. Hira Mana Pradhan arrived and started a much needed medical clinic at Khokana Leprosy colony.

With your help over the past 10 years the Sewa Kendra Leprosy Hospital has become a vital medical centre in Kathmandu.

Here, with a dedicated team of staff, Dr Pradhan has been curing and rehabilitating people affected by this terrible, stigmatised disease. Sewa Kendra has 15 beds which are always full - often people have to sleep on the floor.

The treatment and care the leprosy sufferers receive from Dr Pradhan's team is fantastic. They're treated with dignity, love and respect.

Sewa Kendra also supports an old age home where 200 people live.

Your generous gifts have meant we have been able to build an outpatient clinic so that more forgotten people are now diagnosed early, treated and can go back home to their families.

Your donations have transformed the lives of hundreds of people. If they could write they would be thanking you themselves - but their thanks is no less heartfelt for being here!

Click here to help us continue supporting Dr Pradhan and her team at Sewa Kendra.

Bir Ghale caught leprosy when he was just 12. He spent two years in hospital and left with one clawed hand and three toes missing.

He had to earn a living and did so in the fields, hiding his deformity by keeping his shoes on. However word got out and he ended up sleeping in temples for sanctuary where he became a drug addict.

However he had one skill - he had taught himself drawing and lived by making paintings for 2500 Rs a month. He then discovered one of his paintings had sold for over 60,000 Rs and in his anger destroyed his home.

Bir ended up at Khokana leper colony where there was a sponsored programme for painting greeting cards. He started creating cards for Sewa Kendra and made a name for himself.

Now he is often invited to paint peoples homes thereby making a good living for himself and his wife. He and his wife have comfortable living quarters with their own TV and gas stove.

Click here to help us continue supporting leprosy victims such as Bir.