press release

ALO Society Celebrates World Leprosy Day 2026 Across 9 Districts

Klinton Malakar — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 10:51:40 +0000

ALO Society celebrated World Leprosy Day 2026 across 9 districts—Dhaka, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Nilphamari, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Khagrachari, Rangamati, and Bandarban—in collaboration with 21 federations and jointly with The Leprosy Mission Bangladesh. The programs included rallies, discussion meetings, courtyard meetings, and community awareness activities to promote the message that leprosy is curable and that social stigma remains the real barrier. Government officials, health department representatives, tea company managers and staff, federation leaders, and community members actively participated in the events. A total of 535 participants attended, including 280 males and 255 females. As part of the Emergency Support Education for Empowerment (1st Phase, 2nd Year) project, supported by the Sasakawa Health Foundation, ALO Society distributed blankets to students and federation leaders to strengthen educational opportunities and empower persons affected by leprosy and their families.

ALO Celebrates World Leprosy Day 2025 Across Bangladesh

Klinton Malakar — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 05:03:03 +0000

On Sunday, January 26, 2025, ALO (Advancing Leprosy and Disadvantaged Peoples Opportunities Society) celebrated World Leprosy Day with events held in three regions: Dhaka, Nilphamari, and Moulvibazar. Organized in collaboration with The Leprosy Mission international Bangladesh and other partners, the programs aimed to raise awareness about leprosy and promote unity in eliminating the stigma surrounding the disease.

The theme for this year’s observance was “Unite. Act. Eliminate.” A total of 56 participants across the three locations joined rallies and discussion meetings designed to educate and inspire action.

Event Highlights by Region
Nilphamari

Venue: Suborno Nagorik Unnoyon Shongstha
Participants: 20 (Male: 12, Female: 8)
The event in Nilphamari featured a rally and a discussion meeting with active participation from government hospital staff. Discussions focused on the importance of early detection, proper treatment, and the role of community collaboration in eliminating leprosy.
Dhaka

Venue: NLP Office, Mohakhali
Participants: 11 (Male: 2, Female: 9)
In Dhaka, participants took part in a rally and a discussion meeting. A notable moment was the heartfelt sharing of a personal journey by an ALO participant, who recounted their life story and challenges faced due to leprosy. This testimony was a powerful reminder of the resilience and determination of those affected by the disease.
Moulvibazar

Venue: Kakiachara Federation
Participants: 25 (Male: 3, Female: 22)
In Moulvibazar, members of the Kakiachara Federation and government health staff participated in the program. The discussions emphasized the need for stronger healthcare systems and community support to combat leprosy and empower those impacted.
Significance of the Celebration
The events underscored the urgency of eliminating leprosy and the importance of reducing the stigma associated with it. By engaging local communities, government bodies, and healthcare professionals, ALO reinforced the message that unity and action are critical in achieving a leprosy-free world.

Looking Ahead
ALO extends its gratitude to all participants and partners for their unwavering support. The organization remains committed to its mission of advancing opportunities for individuals affected by leprosy and creating a more inclusive society.

Together, we can Unite, Act, and Eliminate leprosy!

The 2nd Global Forum of People’s Organizations on Hansen’s Disease to take place in Hyderabad from November 6-8

Klinton Malakar — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 09:48:27 +0000

Hyderabad, India: The 2nd Global Forum of People’s Organizations on Hansen’s Disease takes place in Hyderabad, India, from November 6 to 8, 2022.
Organized by Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Initiative as part of its ‘Don’t Forget Leprosy’ campaign, the forum is being held ahead of the 21st International Leprosy Congress (ILC), which brings together the key stakeholders in the field of leprosy.
Around 100 people from over 20 countries are expected to take part in the Global Forum, including representatives of20People’s Organizationsand nine supporting organizations, the UN Special Rapporteur on leprosy, as well as special guests Miss World Brazil and Miss Supranational India.
Also attending will be WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination Yohei Sasakawa, who together with The Nippon Foundation and Sasakawa Health Foundation makes up the strategic alliance known as the Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Initiative.
The1st Global Forum of People’s Organizations on Hansen’s Disease was held in Manila, Philippines in September 2019 prior to 20th International Leprosy Congress.
Held over three days in a hybrid on-site/online format, the theme of the Global Forum is ‘Strengthening and maximizing the roles and capacities of People’s Organizations to promote the dignity of persons affected by Hansen’s disease.’
Coming in the wake of three difficult years in which communities of persons affected by leprosy have been hard hit by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the forum will focus on empowering their organizations to tackle more effectively the remaining challenges in leprosyas seen from the perspective of those who have personally experienced the disease.
The program includes sessions on capacity building, forming good partnerships, and achieving inclusion, with participants sharing best practices, while on the final day there will be a number of side events atwhich 18 organizations will introduce their activities. Many of these organizations have been active in the Don’t Forget Leprosy campaign, which was launched in August 2021 and is being led by WHO Goodwill Ambassador Sasakawa to ensure that measures against leprosy and support for those it affects are not neglected amid the pandemic.
One of the highlights of the forum will be a special session at which Miss World Brazil (Ms. Letícia Cezar da Frota) and Miss Supranational India(Ms. PragnyaAyyagari) will discuss how they can use their public platform to raise awareness of leprosy and contribute to eliminating the stigma and discrimination that those affected by the disease still encounter.
The forum’s conclusions and recommendations, representing the collective voice of People’s Organizations around the world, will be presented on the opening day of the ILCon November 9 by Ms. Maya Ranavare, the president of India’s Association of Persons Affected by Leprosy, one of the People’s Organizations taking part.

Global Appeal of Sasakawa Health Foundation

admin — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 08:40:27 +0000

ALO-Society made a video for the Global Appeal of Sasakawa Health Foundation from Bangladesh. To support the global campaign “Don’t forget leprosy,” Mohammad Roknuzzaman Rokon, 26 years old, a leprosy-affected person shared his story on an international platform. For this Global Appeal, the world’s philanthropic organizations in promoting the Appeal’s call for social inclusion and an end to discrimination against persons affected by leprosy. In addition to the video messages from various guests including Mr. Rokan, the website includes photo exhibitions on the theme of “Don’t forgetleprosy”.

Press

admin — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 15:12:31 +0000

Press