CHENNAI: It was an emotional moment for three generations at Udavum Karangal as Anjali, a psychiatric patient who was rescued in 1995, became a grandmother recently. Rescued from the streets of Retteri in Chennai at the age of 14 on October 10, 1995, Anjali’s initial stay at Udavum Karangal lasted only four months. During a power cut at the home in January 1996, she escaped.
On December 2, 1996 one Gurumurthy, a well wisher of Udavum Karangal, informed the home authorities over phone that a woman with a new born baby was lying on the street and there was none to help them. Vidyaakar from the home rushed to the spot and found Anjali and the baby with the umbilical cord not yet severed.
Recalling the incident, Vidyakar says, “It was in the wee hours. I ran around searching for a blade to cut the cord. After doing that, I took the baby in my hands and she smiled. Anjali was not in a condition to take care of the baby or herself. So we took them to our facility at Thiruverkadu for further care.” Vidyakar named the child Jennifer. She was diagnosed with a slight intellectual disability and admitted in a school for special children at Thiruverkadu maintained by Udavum Karangal, where she studied upto Class 7.
A restless child initially, her interest later developed into care giving and helping the mentally-ill patients, including her mother. She was trained in care giving and went on to become a volunteer taking care of the female patients and spastic children at Udavum Karangal.
On February 26, 2020, Jennifer at the age of 22 married Manikandan, an interior decorator for marriage halls. For Vidyakar, the biggest joy arrived on August 22 this year when Jennifer returned to the home with her husband and son Akilan. “It was a beautiful moment for Anjali also. She caressed, kissed and did not part with the baby for a long time,” recalls Vidyakar.
There are around 50 women inmates at Udavum Karangal. “They are abuse or rape victims. When we find them, if the foetus is over three months old, we take care of the mother and nurture the baby when it arrives. If the foetus is less than three months old, then we try to abort it,” he says.