Mentally Challenged- Who is bothered?

Human have set feet on moon, progressed from axe, atom bombs and quantum theory, but on the instinctive side there exists a great disparity.  Many studies have suggested a steep increase in mentally challenged population. What is more alarming than this fact that one fourth (sic) of Indians are engulfed in some or the other mental ailments. W.H.O., Harvard University and other Institutions has uncovered this fact in the recent studies.

According to one estimate there are two crore mentally challenged patients in India. Take example of Chandigarh, about 65000 people face mental problems of some kind. To serve these two crore patients India has only 3500 doctors and 36 hospitals, to compound the problems further, these hospitals are severely understaffed. It is relevant to mention that about 80,000 doctors of Indian origin are working in western countries as Psychiatrists or related fields. There was a legal provision to deal with this brain drain, but proved to be a toothless dog.  Government is helpless as to fight with this growing problem, now Government has apportioned 190 crores as budgetary provisions along with new short term courses to tackle the menace.  

Now the blazing question for Government, politician and common people is what to do? Many NGO have come forward to bring some respite. The first to take initiatives was Father Hank Ninn, who started Athma Shakti Vidyala Society in year 1979. There are many day care schools for the mentally challenged but, there are only two residential homes for the mentally challenged women in north India, one at Baroda, Gujarat and second at Ludhiana, where Nishkam Sewa Ashram undertook efforts to address the plight of mentally challenged girls and women.

These women fell easy pray to the brutal people from our civilized society. Moreover, parents are not in a position to foster mentally challenged women, problem is worse after the death of the parents especially the mother.

Matri Shakti Sewa Sadan, a 7000 sq. yards campus, is an attempt to address this horrifying tale of mentally challenged women. This home for mentally challenged women, is   Working professionally against this problem these women will be given appropriate therapies, counselling and education. There are provisions for rehabilitation, candle and chalk making, stitching and many suitable vocational and rehabilitative activities. Services provided at Matri Shakti Sewa Sadan are free. The expenses of the Matri Shakti Sewa Sadan are met with the contributions from the society.  

These women are learning to live here as their new home. The long term objective of Nishkam Sewa Ashram is to help these women to be self reliant, and learn some vocational for rehabilitation, and to contribute something to society. If these women are productive and positively adding something to society, then they are as good as normal human being