The Seva Life Project  is a non profit project that was started by a group of five individuals working with the Seva Jyothi Leprosy Colony in Nellore, Andrah Pradesh, India. It is in association with the Daya Trust, which runs a children's home and school for most of  the children of Seva Jyothi. Many children are orphaned or their families cannot afford to feed them or send them to school. Residents of the colony are so poor because of stigma and marginalization. It is very difficult for even those who have not been infected with leprosy to get and maintain jobs due to this stigma. The government has given them some land and some cement houses and $4 a month stipend, which is hardly enough to survive on .

 The Seva Life Project is specifically for the colony and all the families that reside there. "The Garden Project" is our first major step to support the people of Seva Jyothi to be a sustainable, self-sufficient community.  So many kind generous people have contributed to this cause and so we have been lucky to raise needed funds for  The Garden Project.  We have enough to make a huge garden and get some chickens for a small chicken farm.  Please see our Goals and Future projects page to learn what your continued donations will help achieve with the colony.  For any immediate questions please email Meghan at:  megimcc27@gmail.com.  Thank you from all of us here in Nellore for your support. You really are changing lives by your contribution.

 A message from Banu, the President of the colony: " Thank you to all the people helping directly and indirectly. We can't see them, but we can see them through the garden in our life. All of Seva Jyothi Leprosy Colony will always remember the donors."

We believe that no one should be opressed, marginalized or stigmatized due to conditions out of their control. This oppression, stigmatization and marginalization collaborates with the cycle of poverty and forces people into generations of suffering. The Seva Jyothi colony currently has no food source near them, no stable income and minimal medical care. They are located miles away from the major city-town of Nellore. Their families are separated for months at a time as the able bodied people go to the cities to beg. The children are losing their parents due to poor nutrition and lack of medical care. We believe that if the colony has its own garden, chickens and milking cows, they will not have to beg for food money and can spend more time in the village working on stable-income generating projects. The women of the colony have suggested learning to sew to make money, and the able bodied men of the colony are keen on going to driving school to be truck drivers. One of the few jobs where stigma doesn't  create too much of an obstacle. Please see our Goals and Future Projects page to learn more about what all contributions will go directly toward. We are starting on a smaller scale, but hope to be able to provide support for other communities in the future. 

 When the people are generating their own income, they will have money for maintenance of their garden and other projects, be able to keep their children in school, and potentially provide for higher education. They will be able to find better medical care and support.  All of this leads to breaking and ending the cycle of poverty for this village, eliminate their suffering, and get one step closer to eradicating leprosy in developing nations. 

1. Leprosy is also known as Hanson's disease, after the name of the person who discovered it. It has been affecting people for thousands of years.
2. It is caused by a bacteria that effects respiratory functions, nerves and the eyes. The bacteria damages nerve tissue which causes deformation and auto amputation of body parts.
3. Symptoms are an allergic reaction to the bacteria.
4. Leprosy is curable with Multi Therapy Drug Treatment (MDT) if it is diagnosed early.
5. Leprosy is not contagious after treatment begins.
6. 95 percent of the population is naturally immune to leprosy.
7. Leprosy is treatable, curable and can be erradicated. Early diagnosis and MDT is essential to curing people and stopping the spread of this disease that affects so many developing countries.

Above: The land that needs to be cleared for the garden. They have lots of land...a great space for a big garden, a chicken hut and space for a couple grazing cows. It will take a couple of machines and a lot of people work to clear the land, but we have about 40 able bodied people to help. The volunteers from the village will be paid wages to help with this project, as this is time away from their only source of income, begging.

Above: The elders of the village. The third man from the left is Annakavid, the secretary. The man to his left is Banu, the community president, who we have been speaking a great deal with about the projects.
Below: A meeting with the elders to discuss plans for the garden, needs for creating it, equal distribution of harvests, sustainability and future projects.

Above: At the meeting; the five us are on the mat. Daniel, with his back turned, Meghan with the purple pants, Jesus with the orange shirt, Abi behind Jesus, and JP is taking the photo. Thanks JP!
Below: Banu and Akkavid are quite the funny meeting leaders!

Below: An example of how leprosy effects the body. This man was missing toes on his other foot and his hands were beginning to deform and auto amputate. Due to lack of medical care not much is being done for his symptoms. Jesus Babu provides bandages and basic first aid supplies, and often gets them anti biotics. Although the villagers have all had Multi Drug Therapy Treatment, so they are no longer contagious and have in a sense "been cured" of leprosy, the effects of leprosy are long lasting. Wounds, deformations, autoamputated fingers and toes, scars, skin infections, etc.all contribute to poor quality of life and the inability to work or get job training or other education. The ongoing medical needs of leprosy patience are c

Email one of us with questions or comments!
Jesus Babu Director of Daya Trust, Coordinator: Jesusbabu@yahoo.com
Abigail Garnham, Volunteer and Coordinator: Abigarnham@hotmail.com
Meghan McCormick Project Coordinator: megimcc27@gmail.com
JP Candelier, Project Coordinator: jpcandelier@gmail.com
Daniel, Volunteer and Project Coordinator: youcanreachdanny@yahoo.com

Keep visiting our site for photo updates on our projects!