Leonard E. S. Sharp was an English doctor and surgeon who served as a medical missionary in East Africa from 1914 to 1955.
[1] He worked in various regions across Uganda and modern-day Rwanda alongside his longtime professional partner and friend Algernon Stanley Smith.
[1] After his return, he and Stanley Smith made an expedition back to Mengo Hospital in 1916 to scout the area for a new mission, this time serving under the Church Missionary Society.
[9][1] One they had successfully raised enough money for four years of work and a hospital, the Church Missionary society accepted their offer for new missions in East Africa.
[4] After gaining permission from the Ugandan government, he decided to create a leper colony on Lake Bunyonyi to treat patients and prevent the further spread of the disease.
[3] Sharp provided his skills as a doctor and surgeon on the island as well as aiding with the manual construction and expansion of the community.
[4][6] The Rwandan Mission, now called the Mid-Africa Ministry, continued its work and sent missionaries across East Africa.
During his service, Sharp wrote “Island of miracles : the story of the Lake Bunyoni leprosy settlement, Uganda” along with Janet Metcalf.
[4] Upon retiring, in 1965, Sharp received a Royal African Society Medal for dedicated service to Africa.