S-ILF - Sasakawa-India Leprosy Foundation

Sasakawa-India Leprosy Foundation (S-ILF) is a charitable organisation dedicated to the task of mainstreaming leprosy affected and cured people through economic and social empowerment. Instituted in 2006, S-ILF is the brain child of Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for the Elimination of Leprosy and Chairman of The Nippon Foundation. He has worked relentlessly for the cause throughout his life. At S-ILF, we work towards enabling those affected by leprosy to regain independent and sustainable means of livelihood through measures that enhance their skills and abilities to access market opportunities. We seek to integrate them into society rather than provide exclusive facilities, which confine them in their narrow and excluded colonies. Our scope of work encompasses helping leprosy affected people and their children to gain access to education, training them in feasible livelihood streams and drawing them away from the demeaning and soul destroying activity of begging for alms. S-ILF arranges microfinance opportunities for them and acts as a catalyst in putting the Self Help Groups among the leprosy affected in touch with other NGOs and charitable organisations that can help them restore a dignity and meaning to their lives. S-ILF also works towards raising awareness among different groups of people against social and economic discrimination of leprosy affected people.