Mercy Village Leper Colony

Following World War II, Father Marian Zelazek, a Polish priest, eagerly accepted the call to conduct missionary work in India. Near the City of Puri, in Orissa, he watched the inhumane treatment of people afflicted with leprosy. It reminded him of the conditions he lived through as a prisoner of Dachau Concentration Camp. With the help of Sister Amelia Sbrissa of the Italian congregation of the Sisters of Charity, Father Marian created a home for the lepers: the Mercy Village Leper Colony. Today, more than 500 families inhabit the colony and live full, productive lives. In the Mercy Village the lepers lead a fairly normal life where they can work inside the community and raise a family. Everyone is provided continual care by a doctor and has access to all the medicine they need from the village dispensary. The children are also treated periodically as a preventative measure. They all go to school much to their own great benefit and the benefit of the whole community.

Thank you for your support in making such a difference in the lives of many children and their families. Shantipuri Friends Foundation is a 501(C)3 organization and your donations are fully tax-deductible.