Grants - Hansen's Disease/Leprosy

1. Purpose

Through its grant program, Sasakawa Health Foundation promotes the early detection and treatment of Hansen’s disease patients in countries that still see many new cases, and works toward the realization of a society free from stigma and discrimination in which persons affected by Hansen’s disease and their families are accepted and have access to all necessary treatment and services.

A.Tackling Disease

Activities in communities and schools that promote awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, and how diagnosis and treatment are carried out.

• Activities in communities and schools that promote awareness of the importance and methods of early diagnosis and treatment.
• Activities for early detection and treatment, and for the creation of a mechanism for ensuring continuation of treatment.
• Activities to share experience and transfer know-how to healthcare personnel who lack sufficient understanding of Hansen’s disease.

Priority countries: Countries reporting more than 1,000 annual new cases or with a disease prevalence rate above 1.0 per 10,000 population

B.Fighting Discrimination

Activities to realize a world without stigma and discrimination surrounding Hansen’s disease promote respect for the human rights of persons affected by the disease and their families, enable them to live in society with peace of mind and lead to a better life for each person. With that in mind, we support the following activities:

• Activities that deepen understanding of issues surrounding Hansen’s disease through awareness raising and network building among key actors.
• Activities that contribute to the empowerment of persons affected by Hansen’s disease (e.g. promotion of participation, capacity building, establishment of economic base, participation in policy-making process)
• Educational support for children of persons affected by Hansen’s disease.

Priority countries: Countries reporting more than 1,000 annual new cases or with a disease prevalence rate above 1.0 per 10,000 population

C.Preserving History

The history of Hansen’s disease holds many lessons for future generations regarding the treatment, care and integration into the community of individuals with stigmatizing diseases, disabling conditions and health impairments, and the importance of safeguarding human rights. SHF funding for history preservation focuses not only on the medical history of Hansen’s disease but also on its social impact, with a particular focus on the lives of those who personally experienced the disease. We welcome proposals that highlight the resilience of persons affected by Hansen’s disease and their efforts to lead a dignified existence in the face of stigma and discrimination.

*Wherever possible, proposals should be for activities that can serve as a model for other countries in preserving Hansen’s disease history or that contribute to the transfer of expertise or experience to others.

• Collection of histories and historical materials: Collect life stories and historical materials (and the stories behind the materials), before it’s too late.
• Preservation of historical materials: Preserve fast-deteriorating historical materials for future generations through archiving, digitalization and online databases; develop web content that gives issues surrounding Hansen’s disease relevance to contemporary audiences.
• Human resource development for history preservation: Provide training to groups who recognize the need for history preservation but who lack know-how and expertise; Form networks and develop human resources to promote the search for and collection of historical materials.
• Awareness-raising and advocacy to expand the circle of history preservation activities: Conduct activities to sensitize potential collaborators outside the field of Hansen’s disease (e.g. researchers, archivists, government agencies), and promote search for and collection of historical materials.
• Research: Carry out action-oriented research that assigns value to historical materials and leads to better policies and practices for preserving and disseminating knowledge about Hansen’s disease history and heritage. Applicants for funding will need to show how the research results will be used and the expected impact of the research as a condition of support.

3. Period of Support:

April 2020 – March 2021
* All projects (tackling disease, fighting discrimination, preserving history) are, in principle, for 2 to 3 years.
* For multi-year projects, applications are required on a yearly basis.

4. Annual average amount of support

The amount of funding varies depending on the nature of the project. For reference, the average figures for last year were USD 25,000-30,000.
Please note, however, educational support for children of persons affected by Hansen’s disease is limited to USD10,000.

5. Eligible Applicants

Applicants must be non-profit organizations and may include educational and research institutions. Sasakawa Health Foundation (SHF) does not accept applications from, nor provide grants to, individuals or for-profit organizations.

6. Important Notes

• Our fiscal year is from April 1 to March 31.
• Projects are to start in April or September in principle. All projects should conclude by March, regardless of when they begin. For example, a 1-year project that begins in September and ends the following August would be treated as a 2-year project. (1st year: September to March, 2nd year: April to August)
• For multi-year projects, the book should be closed in March each year. Roll-over of any remaining budget to the following fiscal year is not permitted.
• Indirect costs should not exceed 10% of direct costs.
• In principle, an organization is eligible to apply for only one scheme at a time. This is to enable us to offer grants to more organizations.
• SHF may send a Request for Proposal to targeted organizations.

7. Application Procedure

Please submit your proposal by filling out the Grant Application Form. We will acknowledge receipt of each application and be in touch again within 30 days, only if we are interested in learning more. Re-submission of previously rejected proposals is not accepted.
Grant Application Form: https://forms.gle/cpuJtFDqqF4i9Xoy7