Vizag’s AUTD Reunites 2 Mentally Challenged With Families

Visakhapatnam: Association for Urban and Tribal Development (AUTD) in Visakhapatnam has healed and reunited two mentally challenged individuals with their respective families. The association’s effort goes to show families need not abandon their kin even if they face significant mental health challenges.

Bindu, a 45-year-old woman from Ramnagar in Uttar Pradesh had been suffering from mental illness for 10 years. That resulted in her husband divorcing her while keeping their child with himself. Bindu started living with her mother Shanti Devi. Being away from her child, her mental challenges only increased. She went on to attempt suicide.

Eight months ago, Bindu’s mother reported that her daughter had gone missing. However, an AUTD team found Bindu at the Visakhapatnam railway station. The team took her to their women's shelter help. With support and treatment at the Shraddha Foundation, Bindu began improving. Recently, social workers Alina and Neela from Shraddha took her back to her hometown, where she reconnected with her mother.

Rahul, a resident of Khandari village in Nagpur district of Maharashtra, another mentally challenged person, strayed into Visakhapatnam six months ago. AUTD staff provided him with a safe place to stay. Rahul got treated by a volunteer doctor.

Initially, Rahul's sister-in-law refused to take him back because of his mental health condition. But local police and Shraddha Foundation volunteers Niteesh and Shivam arranged counselling sessions with Rahul's family. The family got a better understanding and took Rahul back.

Pragad Vasu, shelter coordinator of AUTD, underlined that of late, more and more families are abandoning their loved ones because of mental health issues. But what is needed is greater awareness of the needs of a challenged person, which would help her/him lead a safer and better life with their own families.