“My name is Soniya. Please go upstairs and tell my mother that I am waiting for her here. She is the only person in this building who sits in a chair. I have been waiting for a very long time” says a frantic Sonia, looking away into the distance. A care worker follows her closely and guides her to her room upstairs, apologising for her interjection. This interaction takes places at the lobby of The Banyan.
For many like Soniya, The Banyan is their only refuge. Started in 1993 by Vandana Gopikumar and Vaishnavi Jayakumar, The Banyan has grown to be one of the largest non-profit organisations catering towards ensuring the mental well-being of destitute and homeless women. What started as a small operation in a three bedroom facility in Chennai has seen enormous growth, with 11 centers across the country.
The Banyan has a standard operating procedure for all clients, as they are referred to within the organisation. The modus operandi is well-drilled into every health worker who follows the necessary protocol. The chain of events usually begins when a social worker with the organisation receives a rescue call from the general public notifying them of a person with mental illness in need of help. The social worker reaches the spot to assess the situation. They check for the availability of any next of kin. If they are unable to locate any immediate family, the woman is rescued and brought to the transit center in Mogappair. The police are notified about the rescue in case any missing persons complaint has been filed by their family in search of them.
Mala, a social worker with the Department of Reintegration describes the care received by the clients once in the Transit Center. “The first thing we do is help the woman clean up and provide fresh clothing as they may have been on the streets for many weeks. We then conduct a preliminary assessment to determine what kind of mental illness the person suffers from. A detailed examination happens the next day. A physical examination is also done to check for various illnesses. All this happens within the first two days of their arrival.”
Once the assessment is complete, the client is provided with a welcome kit consisting of grooming products and a few sets of clothes. A psychiatrist, a health worker and a social worker is assigned to each client to keep track of the progress and maintain relevant health records. Many clients require medication for the betterment of their mental health.
The Banyan’s holistic approach to mental health means that their contribution doesn’t stop at rescue and provision of medication. Their commitment to improving the lives of the women in their care is evident by the variety of activities that they provide for the improvement of their mental health. There is a dedicated gym with a physical instructor for all the clients to train and follow an exercise regimen every day. They also have vocational and occupational training for clients. After a few months of their arrival, clients usually feel well enough to take up activities like tailoring and looming. The vocational and occupational trainers carefully supervise the women as they stitch or knit products.
“We assess their interest level and engage them in these activities. At the loom center I manage, there are seven regular clients who work here. We offer them a nominal salary so they feel incentivised. The products they make here are sold at fares and sometimes we get large orders as well.” - Malathi, the loom instructor
Many women who arrive at The Banyan in dire straits are able to regain their cognitive abilities and sense of self within months thanks to the care provided. Many of them are able to recall their family and are reunited with them through the efforts of the staff and cooperation from the police. However, that is not the case for everyone. Those with chronic illnesses or those abandoned by their families come under the permanent care of The Banyan. They are moved out of the transit car facility to a more permanent shared housing facility along with other long-term clients. There, they continue to engage in activities prescribed by the social workers and receive healthcare for life.
“We try to make everyone here live comfortably. There are 103 residents here and another 70 women in our shared housing. Everyone here feels like a family and we work to keep that environment” says Mala as she bids adieu to go on another rescue call that she has received.