Anandwan (Warora)

 ashram, leper colony / leprosarium / lazar house

 Upload a photo

Anandwan, literally, Forest of Joy, located around 5 kilometres from Warora in Chandrapur district in the state of Maharashtra, India, is an ashram, and a community rehabilitation centre for leprosy patients and the disabled from downtrodden sections of society. It was founded in 1948 by noted social activist, Baba Amte. The project is run by the organisation Maharogi Seva Samiti, the Samiti's other projects are Lok Biradari Prakalp and The Somnath Project.

Baba Amte developed Anandwan to be a self-contained ashram. Residents are self-sufficient in terms of basic subsistence through agriculture. Land fertility in the region has been revived and is maintained by using organic farming techniques and micro-water management. In addition, the ashram has various home-based, small-scale industry units run by the residents that generate income to cover additional requirements.

Baba Amte also shaped Anandwan as an environmentally aware community to have practices in place for energy utilization, waste recycling and minimizing usage of natural resources that might otherwise lead to their depletion.

Anandwan today spreads 465 acres and has two hospitals, a university, an orphanage, a school for the blind and a technical wing. More than 5,000 people are dependent on it for their livelihood.

Website: www.anandwan.in/