CHENNAI: Having provided integrated services for people with mental illness for the past 13 years, The Banyan, a non-governmental organisation that takes care of mentally ill destitute women, will concentrate on issues of equality.

It has set up a new centre in the city, which will form the hub of a whole gamut of equality and reintegration issues.

The recovered mentally ill are often not treated on a par with the rest of society because of the stigma associated with the disease. Also, some of the mentally ill who end up on the streets are not accepted when they are taken back to their homes after treatment.

Rights need attention

Both these issues, the rights of the mentally ill and rehabilitation, need urgent attention, say Vandana Gopikumar and Vaishnavi Jayakumar, founder trustees of The Banyan.

"People living in society should have the same rights. All this while we have been focussing on treatment, re-integration and related issues. Now it is not just providing integrated services to people with mental illness, we also need to focus on equality issues of the marginalised," said Ms. Gopikumar.

Lack of awareness

Listing the gaps in society, she said lack of awareness and access and family burden need to be tackled. All three issues affected the poor much more; hence, the needs of the marginalised and the poor required focus.

The Banyan Centre established a vocational training centre and a working women's hostel to help the women who recover from their illness lead fruitful lives. The centre would also have a mental health helpline, administrative services, legal aid services, an advocacy centre and a growth lab.

Focus on research

In addition, the Banyan Resource Centre will concentrate on research and capacity building and attempt partner replication. Across the country, five NGOs were adopting the Banyan model of care and rehabilitation, she said.

Actors Vivek Oberoi and Revati appealed to the State Government to make available land for locating an institute of excellence in social change.

The institute would aim at creating leaders who would act as catalysts in social change.

It would be on a par with the best in the country and would have tie-ups with institutions abroad that excel in particular fields.

Ms. Revati said Tamil Nadu had shown the way in many fields, and establishment of this institute would be a great addition. Ms. Gopikumar said the Banyan had approached the Government with a written request for land allotment.

Inauguration

The Banyan's new centre on Halls Road will be inaugurated on Wednesday. People representing a cross section of society, including M.A.Vellodi, former secretary, foreign affairs, David T. Hopper, United States Consul-General in South India, Maniratnam, director, Sarika, Revati and Vivek Oberoi, actors, will participate.

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