Brazil - Grand Priory reverting back to Leprosy Assistance Roots (June 2017)
For more than a decade the Grand Priory of Brazil has been hard at work to help vulnerable citizens, with philanthropic, charitable and humanitarian actions throughout the country. These initiatives have been and are daily put into practice by our members. Our serious input, our values, our efforts, our struggle made us opt to reach more targets and deadlines, and now a new level of operations is being envisaged.
In a big step to bring us closer to our ancient medieval roots and what has made the Order of Saint Lazarus different for almost a millennium, we return to projects related to leprosy. The Brazilian Grand Priory decided to start a partnership with DAWH Brazil (German Association of Assistance to the Afflicted and Tuberculosis - Brazil) to draw from the shadows the effects not only of health but also the social stigma in this field of philanthropic activity. Our aim is to collaborate with the mission on a Hospitaller and even Missionary quest that involves the early diagnosis and treatment of the disease; to support the psychological restoration process of patients and involved in the sequelae and stigmata associated with the disease, and to strengthen the engagement in this modern crusade of our members and of our other partners.
This initiative will be the initial element for this cooperation to extend to international levels. Much will still come out from this partnership, for sure, and a mutual learning curve begins now. A well-deserved Thank You is in order to the Coordinator in Brazil, Confrere Rei Bechler, for this initiative.
