1.

The project ‘Development of Community Resources for promoting Mental Health Care in the North Eastern Region’ supported by North East Network, Guwahati was carried out during the period December’2006 to November’2007. Under this project we have developed a training manual –‘Working with mental health in the Community’, a resource book to help Care-Givers other than mental health professionals in providing services to persons with mental illness. Pamphlets and posters in five languages viz. English, Assamese, Bodo, Bengali and Khasi have been developed to create awareness.

Under this project six organizations – the ant (Bongaigaon), SATRA (Sipajhar), Prerona (Jorhat) and Deshabandhu Club (Silchar), all from Assam; Bethany Society (Shillong), Meghalaya and Swabalamban (Agartala), Tripura are being provided training and other support under the project to initiate service facilities for rehabilitation of persons with mental illness.

This initiative has resulted in the creation of Mental Health Interventions in six areas of three States of the NE region, where there were no such activity at the community level earlier. The training modules and resource material developed will help in reaching out to new geographical areas in the future.

The project ‘Rehabilitation of Homeless Mentally Disabled Women’ supported by Central Social Welfare Board, New Delhi (Under Innovative Scheme) was aimed at providing Vocational Training, Rehabilitation and support for Livelihood Generation of the Homeless Women with Mental Disorders who are being re-integrated back into the family. The project period was from November’2007 to October’2008.

The project was aimed at providing livelihood generation support to the residents of Navachetana shelters - (i) For those who become functional and has been re-integrated with families and whose family members are willing to help her in production. (ii) For those who become functional, but families are not traced, livelihood skills are developed and practiced at the Sheltered Workshop of Ashadeep.

The outcome of the project is 45 women had been trained on various trades i.e. weaving, jute handicraft and Tie & Dye during their stay at the shelter homes. 25 women have been supported for livelihood generation after re-integration with their families. 34 women have been engaged in production at the shelter homes and are generating income.