REXBURG-- In rural India, where the stigma of leprosy still lingers, Rising Star Outreach is working to restore more than just health it aims to bring dignity, education and opportunity to individuals and families who have long been cast aside by society.
Many of the people living in leprosy colonies have never had the disease themselves. Known historically as “untouchables,” they often live in these communities simply because a family member once had leprosy — and the stigma follows them for generations.
“It’s such an ancient disease. They believe that it's a curse. A lot of people don't realize once they get leprosy that they could just go to the hospitals there and get treated. But because of the stigma around it, believe that they are cursed with it, that they just put themselves into these colonies, cast away from everyone else,” Shalay Andrus, director of Rising Star Outreach Abroad said.
Rising Star Outreach was founded in 2001 by Becky Douglas after the loss of her daughter, Amber. The nonprofit provides education, medical aid, and community development to families in more than 80 leprosy-affected colonies throughout India.
“We have a community development program, which is fantastic, that teaches them to be able to have a way to support themselves so they're not on the streets begging,” Andrus said.
One such success story is a girl named Jennifer. When she began showing signs of leprosy as a young child, her mother threw her away. Her grandfather found her in a garbage heap and brought her to Rising Star’s school.
“She was at our school, I think from the time she was three or four, she was one of our very first students. She is now a nurse anesthetist. She's gone to do amazing things in India,” Andrus said.
In 2024, over 800 students were enrolled in Rising Star’s school, 35 self-help groups were supported, 13 clean water projects maintained, and 84 leprosy colonies had access to medical care.
Rising Star offers a sponsorship program that allows individuals to support a student’s education and boarding for $30 per month. Sponsors also have the opportunity to travel to India and meet the student they support.
“Once you go over there to India and meet the people and see the resilience that these beautiful people have and their love for Christ and God, they just have a depth to them. I've never seen anywhere else and so it is my connection to the people that we are serving the beautiful spirits that they have,” Andrus said. “Every time I go, it just grounds me on the importance of service and love and gratitude. I love these people so much. I have to keep going back.”
To support a student, visit Rising Star Outreach’s website to fill out a survey that will match you with a student. 2026 dates for the Rising Star Outreach Abroad program will open on Sept. 7.
To hear more about Rising Star Outreach, listen to the full interview on BYU-Idaho Radio’s podcast on Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.