A group of university students from Nagoya and Tokyo known as Namaste! will begin to provide support to those who have recovered from leprosy in India by selling accessories made by them from Monday in Japan over the Internet.

India is struggling with the largest outbreak of leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, in the world. The chronic disease causes damage to the skin and nerves.

Some of the impoverished patients have been ostracized by their communities due to the stigma the disease still carries, so the group aims to use a social business model to provide them with a steady income.