FOR THE CHILDREN: Yohei Sasakawa, president, Nippon Foundation distributes sweets to the children of Balaramapuram at Villivakkam on Tuesday. — Photo: K. Pichumani

CHENNAI: The children of Balaramapuram Colony in Villivakkam welcomed a special guest, Yohei Sasakawa, president of Nippon Foundation, with a song sequence from `Chandramukhi,' setting the pace for the day's activities.

The children's parents were societal rejects because they had leprosy. Over the past few decades, the 100-odd families living here have weathered many a storm with assistance from philanthropists.

They live in separate colonies; ten such colonies exist in Chennai. About 20 per cent of the nearly 7,000 residents in these colonies in the State have been diagnosed with leprosy and are undergoing treatment, says A. Prakasam, president of the Tamil Nadu Leprosy Patients' Rehabilitation Guild.

Mr. Sasakawa visited Balaramapuram (Leprosy) Colony, the first colony set up for people with leprosy, on Tuesday.

The colony has six streets with brick houses, all of them built with donations from several foundations.

Nearly 95 per cent of the residents here and in other such colonies, all Hindus by birth, had converted to Christianity because of discrimination.

Mr. Sasakawa, who is also the World Health Organisation's goodwill ambassador for the elimination of leprosy, said that he was enlisting Mr. Prakasam's supportto take forward the leprosy rehabilitation effort.

Mr. Prakasam's success story would be placed before the United Nations General Assembly.

Mr. Prakasam is among the six Indians chosen for the honour. Mr. Sasakawa gave a cheque for $1,000 (about Rs. 45,000) to help the colony conduct a summer camp for the children.

Earlier, a two-day leprosy rehabilitation conference was held in the city.

About 200 representatives from 48 colonies in the State listed their requirements at the conference.

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