Mental Health especially in the context of NT-DNT, Adivasi and other marginalized communities is closely connected to their myriad of social, economic, political, historical struggles which are constant and never-ending.
Anubhuti has been working with mental health and sexual reproductive health through the Sharir Sanvaad Abhiyan in these communities since we started working in 2016, because all these issues go through a mental health aspect. We realize that it is very important to directly work on the actual problems while being aware of their connection with mental health – be it health emergencies, disasters, housing, sanitation, violence, discrimination, job insecurity, disability, matters of sexuality and so on.. along with mental health support and counseling.
A major factor of mental distress among nomadic families and entire communities is health issues and health care. Lifetime’s savings are wiped out, the whole family’s mental health is disturbed and the community’s courage is broken by widespread and constant medical emergencies in almost every family. Failing health due to lack of nutrition and rest due to their traditional ways of life and food habits hampered by modernizing world that is not inclusive of diverse lifestyles, overburdened public health care system, and overwhelming and uncaringly steep costs of private hospitals create an impossible situation for these families who are very hardworking, carry out work like rag picking, scrap collecting, door to door wares selling, construction…
Anubhuti has been conducting sessions and workshops to deal with health issues in an affordable manner. This was one workshop on body literacy and SRHR with women living in tent communities where water, sanitation, and even closed doors are not available for self care. The women’s knowledge, strength and ability to learn and adapt despite all this is only one sign of their high intellectual capacity.
