A TREE GROWS IN CHENNAI
How did one woman dashing into the traffic on Haddows Road Chennai in 1993, spark off the peoples movement that is today The Banyan?
She was obviously mentally ill, half-naked with matted hair. She was an eye-opener to India's nowhere people. The nobodies that no one wanted to acknowledge existed.
It started as a kneejerk response to a responsibility that no one was willing to take up. Quite truthfully neither were we.
We were too young, raw, inexperienced. We were used to pointing fingers at others whenever confronted with a problem. Here we could only point fingers at ourselves.
And so with heart overruling the head, The Banyan was born. Admittedly, we weren't the best or the most qualified option, but we were the only option!
 
LATEST UPDATES

May 2009 – Read about the goings on at The Banyan in May including the new training modules that have been implemented, the response to the Choolaimedu Slum fire and the evaluative activities under guidance of our funders.

To view the complete monthly report, please click here
Funding and Analysis of The Banyan
May was a month of report writing, impact assessment and consolidation at The Banyan. The presence of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) funders and representatives from NIMHANS at the beginning of the month gave rise to intense discussion and debate over the current situation and future of the projects, accompanied by in-depth analysis of the processes and activities that underpin them. This impact assessment was a hugely beneficial activity that combined internal expertise with an informed outside perspective to produce a review of the projects that is honest, critical and directive, allowing The Banyan to move forwards with clear goals in mind.

The preparation of documents for the bi-annual funding considerations was also a part of the month’s analytical activity with proposals sent to SRTT and Rangoonwala Foundation India Trust (RFIT) for each of the projects.
First Source Training
The Banyan began a program of awareness amongst Corporates this month with the first in a potential series of ‘Mental Health Training’ workshops taking place at the company First Source. A team of Banyan representatives met with 30 employees of the organization for a presentation on the importance of mental health and its application to all aspects of life and the broader social context as well as sensitization to mental illness. There were also stands for all projects at the training to promote Banyan Enterprise and products.

The training was successful with the company providing a review that saw 89% of participants view the session as relevant, 93% enjoying the content of the presentation and 100% recommending the session to others. They also requested that The Banyan return with a ‘Stress Reduction’ workshop to be used as part of their ‘Health’ training program to which we agreed. This success gives The Banyan the confidence to continue and branch further with awareness activities in both the Corporate and Educational context.
Choolaimedu Slum Fire
A slum in Choolaimedu was devastated by fire in May – ruining the homes of 55 families and leaving them without shelter, possessions, utensils, food and clothing. Attendees of the Day Care Centre in KK Nagar visited the slum and other members of The Banyan team mobilized resources in order to provide some emergency relief. The response to the appeals for aid was one of huge generosity with private donations as well as resource from The Madras Rotary Club and Chennai Social Services flooding in.
Looking forward to June
June will see a big thrust in the data collection for the ongoing research undertaken by The Banyan with representatives visiting Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu collecting data on employability. Awareness campaigns continue in all sectors as does the pursuit of new therapies and strategies.
 
 
 
   
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We didn't need no background music to feel pumped up!

Launch of our dream projects by
Dr Kalam
 
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