Chandu Devi is a powerful example of transformational leadership, rising from a young girl diagnosed with leprosy to a nurse dedicated to helping others overcome the same challenges. Leading by example, this is the story of a woman who empowers young people – especially girls affected by stigma, disability, or disease—to pursue education and reclaim their lives. Through her courage, advocacy, and empathy, Chandu is changing attitudes in her community, reducing stigma, and inspiring hope. However, her journey began long before her impact was felt, starting with a moment of fear and uncertainty.
Chandu Devi first arrived at Effect Hope’s partner, The Leprosy Mission Naini Hospital, India, when she was just 11 years old. “I had no idea what was happening. I was scared, crying, and holding my mother’s hand,” she recalls. Diagnosed with leprosy, she faced not only the pain of her illness but the harsh stigma from her village. “People would ask my parents, ‘Why is she always in bandages?’ I stopped visiting anyone’s house. I thought I would lose my legs… and die.”
During her 10th-grade exams, at around 13 years old, her condition worsened, and she was re-admitted to Naini Hospital. But this time, something changed. “The hospital staff didn’t just treat me—they gave me love, counselling, and hope. They said I could still study. That I still had a future.”
Encouraged by their support, Chandu returned home and continued her education. But even after her return, the social stigma followed her. “People in the village learned I had been treated for leprosy and began to avoid me. Their attitude didn’t change—even when they saw I was healing.”
Supported by Effect Hope’s Catch Them Young program, Chandu’s school fees were covered, her parents were counselled, and she was given the resources to stay in school and continue her education. Later, through CUFA and HEAL, extensions of Catch Them Young, she was supported further with education, community advocacy, and empowerment initiatives for women and people with disabilities.
Later, when she was writing her grade 12 exams, she received encouragement from staff at Naini Hospital that led her to a bold new goal: to become a nurse herself. “They told me, ‘You can do it.” she recalls. “And for the first time, I believed it.” She was encouraged to pursue nursing. “When they told me I could become a nurse, something lit up inside me. For the first time, I believed it.”
After she completed her nursing school studies, the attitudes and behavior of her neighbors began to change. She discovered a new sense of hope within herself, realizing, “Now I can also live a life like a normal person.”
Despite facing stigma again during her nursing studies, Chandu didn’t give up. Instead, she educated her peers about leprosy with support from Naini staff. In 2017, she returned to Naini—not as a patient, but as a nurse.
“I really love my work,” she says. “There are many girls like me. I want to help them. I want to tell every child hiding because of disability or leprosy—come out, get educated, and live your life.”
Now 29, Chandu is a proud staff nurse at the very hospital where her healing began. “No matter how much I say thank you—it’s never enough. I came here at 11 as a patient. Now I’m here at Naini Hospital as a nurse, helping others like me.”
Chandu’s journey reflects a deep commitment to lifting others up, proving that true leadership often begins with lived experience and a desire to serve.
Education changes futures. Skilled health workers change communities.
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