Help mentally ill patients get access to healthcare

Impact

After recovering from mental illness, the Banyan attempted to reintegrate Maniammal with her family. However, her husband had remarried and her daughter was hostile. WIth nowhere to go, she had to live in an old-age home. Unfortunately, she had to move from there and the frustration with being shuttled around along with the burden of the feeling of being unwanted, Maniammal decided to live on her own in a housing board colony. With regular assistance from The Banyan, she is now engaged in self-directed pursuits. Her life is now a happy mix of the intimate, everyday and uncommon, albeit a bit unconventional - most importantly, it is on her own terms.

About The Program

The Day Care Centre is part of The Banyan's Urban Outreach Project, KK Nagar, Chennai. Clients from across Chennai who are unable, often because of stigma and discrimination, to find employment, attend it. At the Day Care Centre, they engage in activities and recreation and have the opportunity to pursue vocational training options. The aim of this activity is to reintegrate those with mental illness by giving them the confidence and skills they need to find employment and move on with their lives. Donate to this program so that a patient who recovered from mental illness can be reintegrated into a normal life.

About The NGO

Mental illness and its treatment are still seen as a taboo in our society. While most walk away from this issue, the Banyan made sure it stood up, extended its branches and picked up the fallen leaves to breathe new life into them again. A handful of people who believed in the cause built the Banyan almost a quarter of a decade ago, with hopes, dreams and very light pockets. Their perseverance has today resulted in reaching out to many benefactors who are helping in taking care of the mentally ill who have no means of fending for themselves. The programs at the Banyan include sponsoring of doctors and psychiatrists for their in-house patients and providing lunch for the residents. Based out of Tamil Nadu, they have rural as well as urban clinics, rescuing and serving almost 2000 patients with a strength of over 150 volunteers and 200 staff on board.