The essence of our work, however, lies in the freedom and choice to a better life that many of our clients make. Our greatest joy lies in the fact that many women who have recovered at the Banyan are taking steps towards reclaiming their identities and are voicing their rights.

Kudos on your fine work in alleviating the treatable illnesses of the womankind. Can you please tell us briefly about The Banyan’s journey in the last twelve years; its origin, mission, scope of activities, funding, reach of operations etc?

The Banyan began fourteen years back as a humanistic response to restore hope and dignity to homeless women with mental illness. Abused and stripped of their identities, their existence is often obscured and invisible to a larger part of society. Our journey has been an endeavor to ensure these women the right to rescue, the right to care and the right to a life of freedom and dignity in society.

This movement began in 1993 out of a small three bedroom rented apartment that sheltered and cared for women rescued from the streets of Chennai. The apartment was the beginning of what is now “Adaikalam”, Banyan’s transit home that currently houses over 320 women in our three- storey facility in Mogappair. 1994 saw The Banyan’s first rehabilitation and since then, there has been no looking back. To date, over 1500 women have passed the doors of the Banyan and more than 850 have regained their lives by tracing lost steps back to their families and communities.

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