The NLT office near Kathmandu is the headquarters of Nepal Leprosy Trust in Nepal. The management team there provide solid support to the rest of the organization in Nepal, liaising with the Government, purchasing and sending supplies to Lalgadh, looking after patients that are travelling from Lalgadh to Kathmandu for specialist treatment, etc.

However, its main work is to operate a number of income generation projects that provide employment for various disadvantaged groups, and to provide some social support services. NLT is a member of Fair Trade Nepal and its fair-trade products are manufactured and exported as well as sold locally. Profits go to supporting NLT’s social welfare initiatives, and to the work at Lalgadh.

• Himalayan Leather Handicrafts manufactures high-quality leather products (bags, wallets, etc.). It employs a range of people affected by leprosy, from families affected by leprosy, people who have other disabilities, and people from poor backgrounds. Some of these products are available for purchase on our website shop. Himalayan Handicrafts can also manufacture special orders to a customer’s own design. Please contact us if this is a service you might be interested in.
• Himalayan Batiks provides employment for people marginalised through disability and/or poverty. A range of about 300 batiks is produced, depicting facets of Nepali life, floral themes and animals, etc.
• Lydia Industry is a project providing training to, and employing disadvantaged women. A range of fabric products and greetings cards is produced.
• Lydia Trading (Pvt) Ltd, the export arm of NLT in Nepal, exports the fair-trade products of NLT’s own industries and other organisations. Our main buyers are from the USA, UK, Sweden, and Japan. Nepal Leprosy Trust Services Ltd, registered in the UK, provides a vehicle for marketing and selling the goods in the UK. Profits are donated back to NLT for social welfare projects.

NLT operates several socio-economic support projects to help individuals and families. These offer training, housing and other assistance to our producers and people who are destitute.

• Lydia Children’s Fund is a monthly sponsorship scheme that enables children from disadvantaged families to remain with their families and receive an education. Around 80 children are currently supported, and there is always a waiting list requiring more sponsors to come forward. This is a real way to contribute very positively to the life of a very poor child, and perhaps help that child and its family out of the terrible poverty that traps so many in Nepal. The £12 per month sponsorship money goes to support the child and family concerned. Follow the link to find out more, and see children awaiting sponsors.
• A Financial Assistance Scheme provides practical help to disadvantaged women, senior citizens, people affected by leprosy and others unable to provide for themselves.
• Small-scale income generation and training: NLT responds to the specific needs of individuals on the verge of becoming destitute, by helping them get established with a trade such as animal husbandry or tailoring. A number of women have been taught felt-making skills and make a range of felt bags and toys which are sold with Himalayan Handicraft products. This area of the work has been supported by a variety of organizations over the years.

If you have read the posts on this website, you will have seen that our office building has had to be partially demolished to accommodate a road-widening programme implemented by the Nepali Government. During 2016, our team at Kathmandu cut ten feet from the entire 80 foot frontage of the headquarters building as well as extending it backwards by five feet to reclaim some available space. The building finished up smaller than it was but at least we still have a building!