The origins of Back to Life trace back to a very special encounter more than 25 years ago: In the early 1990s, Stella met Musafir, a man suffering from leprosy, in Varanasi, India. His fate, along with that of other “untouchables,” touched her deeply. She decided to abandon her photography studies in Rome and set up a provisional street clinic for leprosy care—starting with just $100. After two years of therapy, the first patients, including Musafir, were officially declared healed. By then, it was clear that Stella had come to stay. The medical and social aid projects continued to expand, driven by the vision of giving leprosy patients their lives back. Eventually, in 1997, Stella’s friends and family in Germany founded the non-profit organization Back to Life e.V.
1994
An encounter that changes everything
2006
Women’s World Award
For her commitment to the fight against leprosy, Stella received the 2006 Women’s World Award of Hope. The award is presented at the ceremony in New York City by Mikhail Gorbachev, who helped to create it.
2003, 2015, 2017
The first years: creating prospects
It also quickly became clear that, in addition to medical care, real future prospects are essential for those affected. The children of people with leprosy lacked access to education, and most of them were living on the streets. In 2003, Back to Life opened its first children’s home for 40 children affected by leprosy. Later, two more homes were added. After completing their treatment, one third of the leprosy patients succeeded—through income-generating support—in resettling in their villages or in leprosy colonies. Others remained on the streets within beggar communities.
Various other projects followed, including a major program on women’s and children’s rights, which reached over 150,000 people in five years. In 2015, some of the children from the homes even began studying, while others chose technical or vocational training.
We concluded our projects in India in 2017 in order to fully focus on Nepal. The hardship and poverty in our project areas there were even greater, and the 2015 earthquake further worsened the situation for people throughout the country.
2008, 2009
Expansion of projects to Nepal:
The mountain calls
The mountain calls
In 2008, Stella decided to expand Back to Life’s activities to Nepal. This small Himalayan country is rarely covered by the media, even though it is among the poorest in the world. In 2009, the Back to Life team traveled for the first time to Mugu in the Karnali Province. Located in the high mountains on the border with Tibet, the region was then still cut off from the rest of the country. Many villages were—and still are—accessible only on foot, with remote areas reached via adventurous mountain roads. At that time, medieval conditions prevailed: no electricity, no running water, no medical care, and no sanitation.
We decided to offer help where no other aid reached, providing “help for self-help” to the people. We began supporting them through income generation, solar panels on rooftops, and smokeless stoves.
We brought doctors for health camps into these remote areas and built sanitary facilities. Stella had a clear vision: one day, everyone in these villages should be able to live with dignity, grow up healthy and safe. Back to Life was registered as an international NGO in Nepal, with Dikendra Dhakal as program director and Achyut Paudel as finance director. The local team consists entirely of Nepalese staff.
2010
Indigenous Peoples in the Lowlands
Are Also Forgotten
Are Also Forgotten
In 2010, Back to Life also began focusing on indigenous peoples in southern Nepal, who live in poverty and are marginalized minorities. In particular, the Chepang—originally a nomadic people and forest dwellers—have little access to education and progress. This led to the launch of new projects in Chitwan District, located in the Terai lowlands.
For the children in both project areas, a sponsorship program was established to ensure their access to schooling. Back to Life improved the educational infrastructure by constructing new, fully equipped school buildings and training teachers. Adults learned how to improve their farming practices and started small businesses.
In 2014, Back to Life implemented its first water project in Chitwan, followed shortly by another in the earthquake-affected regions. Ensuring access to safe drinking water—especially in the high mountain areas of Mugu—has since become another core focus of Back to Life’s work.
2010, 2012
Never Again Births in Cow Sheds
Back in Mugu. After just one year of project activities, the people in the high mountains already noticed a significant improvement in their lives by 2010. Solar panels brought light into their dark stone houses, and the stoves we distributed eliminated the harmful smoke. People began to feel real hope.
Then something unbelievable happened. During a conversation with Sushila, a mother of four from the village of Loharbada, Stella learned that the strict “Chhaupadi” tradition was still being practiced in Mugu. Out of fear of angering spirits, women were forced to leave their homes during menstruation and childbirth—and had to give birth in cow sheds.
Sushila spoke openly with Stella and even took her into the shed. In semi-darkness, surrounded by cows and flies, the two women spoke about the immense burden mothers in the Himalayas face. Stella knew something had to change. And so the idea of birthing centers was born—supported not only by the village community but even by local shamans, once strict guardians of the Chhaupadi tradition.
The first birthing center was completed in 2012. “The inauguration and that first safe, successful birth in Loharbada was one of the happiest moments of my life,” said Stella. Today, there are already 15 Back to Life birthing centers in the highlands, where over 2,400 babies have come into the world safely.
2015
A Natural Disaster That Brought People Together
Two devastating earthquakes on April 25 and May 12, 2015, claimed the lives of 8,700 people and injured 25,000 more. Far more families, however, lost their homes, and countless public buildings and schools collapsed.
The Back to Life team in Nepal demonstrated remarkable commitment, providing emergency relief in one of the hardest-hit regions—Nuwakot District—where we had not operated before. We distributed survival packages, provided medical assistance through health camps, and supported income security by distributing seeds.
Altogether, 30,000 classrooms were destroyed by the earthquakes, and one million children lost access to education. As a result, Back to Life shifted its focus to rebuilding ten school buildings. The strength shown by the Nepali people in rebuilding with limited resources was impressive—just like the achievements of our team.
2019
Award-Winning:
Commitment to the Environment
Commitment to the Environment
When Stella became the first German woman to receive the Grand Prix International Trophée de femmes 2019 from the Yves Rocher Foundation for environmental protection, it truly highlighted how far Back to Life’s commitment in this area had grown. Like the organization itself, our environmental projects have “naturally evolved,” because humanity and nature go hand in hand.
Our environmental efforts are closely linked to health, education, and income generation. Smoke-free, energy-efficient stoves consume 50% less wood, reduce deforestation, create healthier homes, and lower the risk of disease. Solar light enables children to study in the evenings and allows adults to run small businesses even after dark.
In our schools, we integrate environmental education and recycling, establish school gardens with the children, and carry out clean-up campaigns. Our agricultural training is based on ecological methods. Everything works hand in hand.
2022
A Look into the Future:
Back to Life Foundation
Back to Life Foundation
Each birthing center is like a lighthouse radiating immense light. The same goes for every girl in Nepal who graduates from high school—she becomes a shining example for many others. Our successes are the foundation upon which we continue to grow.
It is a heartfelt concern of ours that everything Back to Life has built continues to exist long-term. School buildings, birthing centers, and water systems must always remain child-friendly, safe, and functional. The more we build, the more we must also maintain.
That’s why Stella founded the Back to Life Foundation in 2020. Through it, you can help ensure that these vital projects are sustained into the future—by making targeted donations for their upkeep. Please feel free to reach out to us.
2023
Health, Education, and Infrastructure
Strengthened for Karnali
Strengthened for Karnali
The year 2023 was marked by significant progress for the people of Karnali Province. At the provincial hospital in Surkhet, we took a major step forward: the first cardiology unit in the entire province was opened. At the same time, we significantly improved access to healthcare for over 3,000 people through our health camps.
In education, we completed the construction of two primary schools and one secondary school, providing more children with access to education. We also continued to strengthen infrastructure: we laid 200 km of water pipeline, securing clean drinking water for 688 households.
In the area of clean energy, we achieved further success: one third of all families in Mugu now use smokeless, energy-efficient stoves—protecting health and the environment. Individual stories like that of Bhupendra, who was included in our sponsorship program, once again highlight the tangible impact of our holistic approach.
2024
Expansion of Infrastructure and
Sustainable Development in Nepal
Sustainable Development in Nepal
The year 2024 marked a major milestone for us in improving healthcare. A central success was the opening of the Mother-Child Hospital in Birendranagar in February. The two-story facility quickly became an essential hub for maternal and newborn care in the Karnali region. It is directly connected to the district hospital and was handed over to the local authorities for continued operation, following the principle of sustainable self-help. Specialized in handling high-risk pregnancies, the hospital includes a neonatal intensive care unit, an obstetrics department, emergency and postnatal care, as well as treatment for serious infectious diseases like tuberculosis. Additional services include cancer screening, vaccinations, and awareness programs on family planning and nutrition.
Another significant step was the groundbreaking of our new hospital in Sindhuli. From 2025, this facility will sustainably ensure medical care for around 36,500 people. These projects highlight our ongoing commitment to improving access to high-quality healthcare.
In the field of education, we opened three new secondary schools and one primary school, offering promising opportunities for many children and youth. A total of 4,427 students are now supported through our school sponsorship program. Sustainable livelihoods were also strengthened: 97 farmers planted nearly 3,000 new seedlings, and 572 households gained secure income through new orchards. Access to clean water improved for 398 additional households. Notably, clean energy was promoted—661 families received safe oil lamps, and over 4,000 households now use electricity produced from solar systems.
