Two sisters set up mental health homes in Tamil Nadu's Lalgudi
TIRUCHY: Mental health is something seldom spoken about in our society. It is only in the past few years that awareness is increasing. Even when people seek help, they are stigmatised in certain homes.
To eliminate such stigma, and talk openly about mental health, two sisters from Kovandakurichi in Tiruchy have set up Homes where women who have experienced mental illnesses live together and are rehabilitated.
The two sisters, Jacklin Sahaya Mary (43) and Amali Margaret (39), felt so strongly about this cause as they dealt with mental illness, homelessness, depression, and grief at a young age. They were treated at The Banyan, an NGO in Chennai.
With the help of the same NGO, the sisters set up this project called 'Home Again' in 2016. Today, they have nine such homes in Kovandakurichi, a small village in Lalgudi, with 44 women.
Welcomed by lush green fields on both sides of the road, you wouldn't need Google maps to guide you to the House once you’re inside the village. Jacklin and Amali's names are familiar with everyone here. When mentioned, Jacklin laughed it off, but was quick to add that it is a testament to their success that the same villagers who shunned them several years back, now acknowledge them and their work.
She lost her parents in short intervals. At the same time, her marriage didn't work out, and she also lost her baby. After being dealt several blows, and not being given the care she needed, Jacklin set out to Chennai to seek refuge at her aunt's house.
However, she didn’t remember the address and was living on the streets before police personnel took her to The Banyan. There, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was given required treatment.
"I was treated there for almost 10 years. I had already studied nursing. At the Banyan, they gave me more training to be an auxiliary nurse. Later, I wanted to help women like me get the right care and treatment," she said.
Amali was on a different path back home. While Jacklin was in Chennai, people told Amali that her sister was probably dead. Her husband had passed away, and she was left with a baby. That was when Jacklin returned to the village and met her, giving Amali a new sense of hope.
She knew where to seek help for her problem, and also went to the Banyan. Amali was trained in house management there. "Several people approached us once we came back. That is when we approached Banyan and they helped us set up the first home in 2016," Amali said.
The homes have been set up under the 'Home Again' Project of the Banyan and is funded by RIST (Rural India Supporting Trust). However, getting houses on rent initially was a tough task for the sisters. Before starting in 2016, they approached more than 10 people to rent a house.
"Hearing that it is a home for people recovering from mental illnesses, people refused to rent houses to us. Finally, I approached a relative and had to cajole him into renting the house to us," Amali added.
Each of the nine homes has a personal assistant to look after the inmates. While Amali looks after the well-being of each woman, Jacklin takes care of their medical and nursing needs. "We are training them in a few skills. We want them to be independent," said Amali.
Evidently, community living, like Home Again, has a larger impact on people over an institution. "A home setting with friends is a boon for women. They get their own identity and form friends in the community," said Sagaya Mary from the Banyan.
The 44 women in TiruchyHome, too, feel the same way. "In an institution, it’s like a hospital. We have to take permission to go out, stand in line for food, etc. Here, we are with family. We are free to go around, meet people, and do what we like," said an inmate.
Despite everything, many of their families are still unwilling to take the women back. "All the 44 women here have been sent by Banyan. They are all from this village, and its surroundings. We found their families, and they acknowledged that they've improved. Yet, they refuse to take the women back. That is why we are building a strong community, where we care for each other," said Jacklin.