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Case Study

Gramin Adivasi Samaj Vikas Sansthan

Rs.10,131,665.00 awarded over 3 years

Gramin Adivasi Samaj Vikas Sansthan (GASVS) aims to address education, health and livelihood issues in Sausar. GASVS has developed a community-based mental health system to confront local misconceptions surrounding mental health conditions and learning disabilities.

One recent beneficiary is Mrs Bhagirathi Potre, from the village of Kadaiya. She is 44 years old, married to an agricultural worker, and is the mother of three children.

Before 2000 she was well, living happily with her family. But she then developed a range of symptoms of mental illness. She received some private psychiatric treatment, but at great cost that they could not afford to continue, and her illness continued to have a significant impact on the family.

In 2011, the family were made aware of the Sanjeevani Community Mental Health Programme (CMHP) which provides a psychiatrist across three locations each month (Ramakona, Borgaon and Pipla Narayan War) as well as medicine free of charge.

Mrs Potre’s family agreed to get treatment, and after taking regular medication she recovered from her illness and was able to manage her condition.

Through Sanjeevani-CMHP, she was linked to the Disabled Person Organization (DPO) and given a loan of Rs. 5000 to help support her livelihood. She used the loan to purchase a cow and started a small business selling milk. With the profits she was able to re-pay the loan to DPO.

She then qualified for further support from the Chief Minister Self-Employment Scheme, receiving a loan of Rs. 155000. She used this to start a refreshment and tea shop in Janpad Panchayat premises.

Thanks to the support of the Sanjeevani-Community Mental Health Programme, Mrs Potre is able to manage her condition and run her own business, improving her family’s social and economic condition.