The Banyan
@banyanbalm
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An NGO serving people experiencing intersections of homelessness, psychosocial distress, and disabilities in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra and beyond.
Chennai, India
Joined July 2012
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Last Seen Profiles
We are celebrating! 🎉
.
Sindhu and Sudheesh, two individuals with shared histories of mental illness and homelessness, got married today.
.
#Wedding
#Relationships
#HomeAgain
#Acceptance
8
54
274
We thank
@ptrmadurai
, Hon. Minister for Finance & Human Resources Management, Govt. of Tamil Nadu for his nuanced understanding on the need for community inclusion and access to social & health care -- in the context of psychosocial disabilities.
.
@WHO
@MichelleFunk3
6
31
215
🚨 Urgent Appeal!
Our generator in Kovalam is out of diesel, and we need a spare one ASAP to continue our vital services. If you or anyone in Kovalam, Adyar, OMR, ECR areas can donate or help with a working generator, please reach out.
@chennaicorp
@chennaipolice_
#Chennai
14
361
216
We've made a children's book! It tells the true story of two sisters from Kovandakurichi, Trichy.
Jacklin is an auxiliary nurse. Amali is a house manager. Together they help care for 44 women in Trichy who have experienced marginalisation & mental illness—just as they have.
2
37
187
திருமதி கனிமொழி கருணாநிதி அவர்கள் வியாழனன்று எங்கள் நிகழ்ச்சியில் துவக்க உரையாற்றுவதில் மிகவும் பெருமையடைகிறோம். மனநலமற்று வீடற்ற நிலையில் வாடுபவர்களை வருங்காலங்களில் பராமரிப்பதில் அவருடைய சிந்தனைகளை அறிவதில் மிகவும் ஆவலாகவுள்ளோம்.
பங்கேற்க
6
45
171
We take a moment to remember the life of our extremely beloved Mr
#KeshavDesiraju
- Former Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Long-time Friend, The Banyan and Trustee, Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health (BALM).
.
#Friend
#Supporter
#PublicHealth
#Equity
#Grief
3
34
102
Guitarist Bruce Lee spoke of his days as struggling musician homeless in Chennai and how he turned this narrative around by working incrementally
#BigSleepOut
1
25
74
We are celebrating! 🎉 Four young adults who grew with parental mental illness and homelessness have gained admission to graduate and post graduate courses of choice at some of the best colleges in Chennai.
#CollegeAdmissions
#ParentalMentalHealth
#EndingHomelessness
10
13
75
Thillothama from
#Thozhi
spoke of specific experiences of trans women and their encounters with homelessness
2
20
68
#GoodPeopleDoingGoodWork
—a series recognising solidarities & collective power as essential to our collective wellbeing through crises & beyond.
Today, we thank Ms. Divyadarshini for her invaluable allyship, friendship, and collaborations with The Banyan.
Thread ⬇️
5
14
65
Glimpses from the Mad Pride Parade 2019.
.
Photo Credit:
@everydayaintsame
.
#MadPrideParade
#ReclaimTheTerm
#Celebration
#MentalHealth
#Homelessness
2
27
48
#AksharaHaasan
is helping our Trichy Home Again Chapter led by Amali and Jacklin raise funds to build homes that people can truly own on three grounds of land. Contribute, share and amplify the fundraiser on
@GiveIndia
, .
.
#Fundraisers
#WMHD2020
0
18
48
On August 27th 1993,
@banyanbalm
began enabling homeless people with mental illness access designated goals of health, autonomy and wellbeing. Join us as we
#celebrate
27 eventful years today. 🎉 Thread below. 🧵
.
#TheBanyanAt27
#Anniversary
#Homelessness
#MentalHealth
2
9
30
#GoodPeopleDoingGoodWork
—a series recognising solidarities & collective power as essential to our collective wellbeing through crises & beyond.
Today, we thank Dr. J. Radhakrishnan for his invaluable allyship, friendship, and collaborations with The Banyan.
Thread ⬇️
1
4
31
Thank you
@geetikamantri
for telling this story––a story that bolstered our hopes for more imaginative, inclusive legal definitions of "family."
On 3 of our clients' newly approved ration cards, their chosen sisters are listed, officially, as 'sisters.'
1
11
29
This photo was taken at the particular moment a father discovered that his daughter, living with a mental illness who had become homeless, was safe at our facility in Chennai. He had visited almost every shelter in the city in his efforts to find her.
#Relationships
#Acceptance
1
7
28
The Banyan welcomes
@CMOTamilNadu
’s decision to announce ex gratia of Rs.1000 for persons with disabilities. This is significant, especially during COVID and we appeal to the govt to increase this contribution proportionate to the needs of pwds living along the margins
@RAKRI1
1
5
28
#GoodPeopleDoingGoodWork
—a series recognising solidarities & collective power as essential to our collective wellbeing through crises & beyond.
Today, we thank Dr. Alby John for his invaluable allyship, friendship, and collaborations with The Banyan.
Thread ⬇️
2
6
27
Our brand new book for young readers tells the true story of two sisters who experienced severe mental illness and marginalisation, refused to accept a world in which care is difficult to access—and decided to change it.
Get a copy of "Jacklin & Amali" at
0
13
27
Due to a twist of fate, The Banyan team was able to reunite one of our long-term residents with her mother & brother after 35 long years!
1
6
24
Announcing the Mad Pride Parade in Chennai! Inviting service users and others alligned to the cause of mental health to participate.
.
#MadPrideParade
#AffirmingMadIdentities
#ReclaimTheTerm
#Advocacy
#MentalHealth
1
17
25
We have some exciting news to share! 🎊 The Banyan recently won the
@DrGuislainAward
for 2021 along with Green String Network in a global ceremony telecast live.
2
8
24
Below is a long-form opinion article in
@the_hindu
written by
@goofyka
along with Mr Desiraju on the need to seek a paradigm shift in mental health care. We reflect on these thoughts today and will remember them in the years to come.
1
3
23
Homeless women with psychosocial disabilities are facing unique challenges in the
#COVID
context. We thank
@albyjohnV
and team for immediate support provided while trying to navigate one such distress call yesterday.
.
#Homelessness
#MentalHealth
1
3
23
26 years since we began.
.
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” Audre Lorde
.
#Anniversary
#Intersectionality
#Homelessness
#MentalHealth
1
5
19
Help us rebuild lives of people with mental illness during
#COVID
.
.
Donate here via
@ketto
.
#COVID
#Donate
#Fundraiser
#MentalHealth
1
18
22
#GoodPeopleDoingGoodWork
—a series recognising solidarities & collective power as essential to our collective wellbeing through crises & beyond.
Today, we thank Dr. Sameeran GS for his invaluable allyship, friendship, and collaborations with The Banyan.
Thread ⬇️
3
1
20
A routine reminder:
150 million Indians experience diagnosable mental illnesses during their lifetimes.
Only 17% ever access the care they need, i.e. India's mental health care gap is 83%.
A disproportionate number of those 83% are from marginalised backgrounds.
2
9
19
This op-ed in
@the_hindu
calls urgently for placing dignity, agency, and personhood at the heart of mental health care systems for vulnerable populations.
Co-authored by former Union Health Secretary Keshav Desiraju and The Banyan's co-founder Dr. Vandana Gopikumar.
1
9
18
The legendary
#LandmarkQuiz
returns this year in an online format on August 15th, in aid of
@banyanbalm
. Conducted by
@JayakumarNavin
and organized by
@quizfoundation
, details to register will soon follow. Watch this space.
.
#OpenQuiz
#Fundraiser
1
5
17
Day 2 of Mental Health and Inclusive Development Conference - Prof Shalini Bharat speaking on demedicalising health to embrace an inclusive approach, health as ‘wellness’ beyond being disease free
#MHID2019
#SocialPathwaystoHealth
1
6
17
Mental health needs have existed for years across geographies. In our experience we have seen the disproportionate effects of trauma on people and their families due to inter-generational oppression, inequity and endemic power struggles.
.
#WMHD2020
#MentalHealth
#Homelessness
1
4
18
We at
@banyanbalm
are thankful to Grand Challenges Canada (GCC) for their constant belief enabling us to scale-up the innovation nationally, secure state & institutional support and be listed by
@WHO
as one of 25 good practices for community mental health from across the world.
1
5
18
"won’t you celebrate with me
what i have shaped into
a kind of life? i had no model.
born in babylon
both nonwhite and woman
what did i see to be except myself?
.
#CelebrationAsResistance
#HomeAgain
#MentalHealth
#Ratnagiri
#Maharashtra
1
8
15
Not to be missed!
#urbanpoor
#homelessness
#mentalhealth
#thebanyan
#thebanyanacademy
DM for registration link
1
5
17
We are excited to share that Dr
@nachiketmor
, Longtime Friend of
@banyanbalm
and Visiting Scientist
@BALM_Academy
will be joining day two of the
@WLGHConf
as a part of the Reimagining Philanthropy in Pursuit of Global Equity panel, along with
@coimpactcollab
.
1
2
17
Dr. Vandana Gopikumar, Co-Founder of the Banyan and BALM, gets featured in the third edition of the Healthcare Heroes: Health-Tech & Well-being Conclave & Awards, presented by Dabur Vedic Herbal Tea and co-presented by Instashied and Piramal Finance.
2
1
17
A snapshot of provisions stacked on a table.
.
Multiple similar food kits were distributed via in person delivery to clients accessing aftercare services across the city.
.
#COVID
#Lockdown
#DryRations
#Aftercare
1
3
15
In remembrance:
More than 28 people experiencing mental illnesses lost their lives 20 years ago today in Erwadi, Tamil Nadu.
We pledge not to forget them, nor the unfair personal suffering they navigated.
1
10
15
We are so proud to announce the launch of a new Emergency Care and Recovery Centre for people in Tiruvallur District experiencing homelessness and mental distress.
2
0
15
Dogs have been a veritable part of our ecosystem. They saunter across campus and form significant relationships with those around.
.
#Dogs
#SafeRelationships
#MentalHealth
2
5
15
Read this trailblazing essay by
#NaomiOsaka
in the Olympics edition of
@time
which offers insight into putting her mental health and personal struggles first & tough decisions and ecstatic triumphs that shape her.
.
.
#MentalHealth
#Priorities
#Boundaries
1
3
16
As we begin the run-up to the 30th year of the Banyan in August 2023, we can’t help but feel nostalgic for the way we began in 1993. We knew we wanted to create a home for those homeless and mentally unwell, alone and on the fringes of society….
1
3
15
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Open-call for in-person volunteers aged between 18-35 years in Chennai. People who enroll will be required to assist with logistics and everyday coordination tasks at Covid Care Centres set up by The Govt. of Tamil Nadu.
@NHM_TN
.
#Covid19
#Volunteers
#ApplyNow
2
21
15
We take this opportunity to express our hearty congratulations to Dr. Thara Rangaswamy, Vice-Chairman and Co-Founder of the Schizophrenia Research Foundation on her well-deserved Nari Shakti Puraskar presented by the Honorable President of India.
#SchizophreniaResearchFoundation
0
3
14
Long-term institutionalisation of people with mental illness across psychiatric hospitals remains a persistent reality.
.
#NationalReport
#StateMentalHospitals
#LongTermCare
#InclusiveLivingOptions
#WMHD2019
#MentalHealth
#Homelessness
1
8
14
We all know someone impacted by suicide. Suicide and self-harm occur as familiar themes within the narratives of mental illness and homelessness we come across at The Banyan.
.
#WorldSuicidePreventionWeek
#WSPD
1
9
13
We are ecstatic to reveal pages from the
@WHO
Guidance on community mental health services which seeks to promote person-centred and rights-based approaches and services for people with psychosocial disabilities. 🎊
.
1
5
14
“She’s a superstar,” our senior leader said, describing Dharmapuri's Collector Ms. Divyadarshini.
“If you meet her with an idea today, she’ll enable executing it by tomorrow. That’s how she is. She works at jet-speed and gets things done — always with a focus on accessibility.”
1
4
13
#NationalReportOnLongStay
@THF_INDIA
Why do people live long-term in psychiatric hospitals? Various stakeholders cited deficits in staffing, policy and budgets as reasons. But even in the best of facilities with all resources, people enter long-stay trajectories. Why?
3
13
13
Historically people with psychosocial disabilities have been denied
#political
participation due to
#ableist
scrutiny linked to their capacities.
.
#RightToVote
#Suffrage
#HomeAgain
#Kerala
1
5
14
The Banyan Academy in association with
@LEADatKrea
is hosting a webinar on July 29 at 5.30 pm. Catch Prof. K. Srinath Reddy in conversation with Shailendar Swaminathan. Register here:
@thePHFI
#publicpolicy
#research
1
6
12
#LookingBack
2021 has been a groundbreaking year. The last few months have been reflective of huge doses of inner resilience, determination and tenacity that subsume
@banyanbalm
's diverse spaces & its central community.
📸: __kural (IG)
1
0
14
"While nearly 50 per cent of long-term residents lived in institutions for between one and five years, 11.4 per cent had been there for over a quarter of a century."
.
Via
@ThePrintIndia
, Written by
@simrin_sirur
, Read here:
.
#NationalReportOnLongStay
1
8
13
Highlighting 80 distinguished alumni of the International Visitor Leadership Program for their
#leadership
and
#impact
,
@USAndChennai
and
@StateIVLP
awarded Dr. Vandana Gopikumar the ‘80 Faces of Exchange’ earlier today. Congratulations
@goofyka
. 🎊 We are all inspired by you!
1
1
13
A global network is driving these systemic and transformative changes in how mental health concerns may be addressed and to have engaged governments who inspire confidence truly helps.
.
#PersonCenteredCare
#UserDirected
0
0
11
Sugunamma draws a kolam in front of her home. This is significant because for 25 years she refused to move out of Adaikalam (the Emergency Care and Recovery Center), our hospital facility for homeless women with mental illness.
1
4
12
We are excited to announce a range of all natural
#artisanal
soaps and lip-balms
#handcrafted
by people with psychosocial disabilities for
#TheBanyanCollective
. 🎊
.
#NaturalSoaps
#LipBalms
#Bespoke
#Ecofriendly
#BathTreats
#Skincare
#MentalHealth
#Homelessness
1
5
14
Workshop on mental health for Balwadi teachers of Sriperumbudur Taluk in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu as part of the state chapter of National Health Mission (NHM)-The Banyan collaboration for strengthening community linkages for the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)
0
4
12
Seven years ago Home Again began as a fledgling trial with its fair share of dreams and hope with seed support from
@gchallenges
.
Less than 2% of national health budgets go towards
#mentalhealth
, largely being dedicated to institutional care. Yesterday,
@who
released guidance emphasizing the importance of community MH services, highlighting 3 GCC-funded innovations as exemplary:
1
0
17
2
2
13
All of us at
@banyanbalm
are gearing up for the release of
@WHO
's new guidance on community mental health services -- which features person-centered innovations across the world.
.
#QualityRights
#UserDirected
#HumanRights
#Health
1
2
12
Service users across The Banyan's sites in Tamil Nadu have geared up to cast their votes today and exercise their franchise.
.
.
#RightToSuffrage
#AgencyToChoose
#MHCA2017
#UNCRPD
#Elections
#TamilNadu
1
7
12
We are looking for individuals to anchor our continued care programs in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Maharashtra and West Bengal. Apply to jobs
@thebanyan
.org before 15th March 2020.
@phf_uk
.
#ApplyNow
#Aftercare
#MentalHealth
#Homelessness
2
16
12
Nabiya Ethiraj from The Banyan articulates her vision for young people's mental health needs and more at the
@citiesRISE
#mentalhealthfriendlycities
workshop in Nairobi.
.
Photo Credit:
@sanna_nv
.
#MentalHealth
#HealthyCities
#YouthPerspectives
1
6
12
0
0
12
Popularly known as the architect of the definitive National Mental Health Policy 2016, Mr Desiraju pushed for inclusive mental health systems, steeped in values such as equity & social justice, participatory & rights-based approaches and good governance, every step of the way.
1
2
11
We are celebrating! 🎉 Jacklin Janaki was bestowed the Changemaker Award for 2020 by
@the_ristrust
today.
.
#PeerLeadership
#UserSurvivor
#HomeAgain
#Trichy
1
5
11
Honouring the legacy of Keshav Desiraju and his contributions to
#literature
and
#healthcare
. Let's read and learn from his books "Of Gifted Voice: The Life and Art of M.S.
#Subbulakshmi
" and "Healers Or Predators?
#Healthcare
Corruption in India".
1
0
10
Nothing About Us, Without Us. ✊🏾
.
Everyone counts. Historically homeless people with psychosocial disabilities have been denied the right to vote due to ableist notions of legal incapacity.
.
#DemocracyWeek2020
#RightToVote
#SocialEntitlements
#Inclusion
1
4
10
We wrote this book to celebrate two leaders who deserve wide celebration, and to remind children (and their teachers and parents!) of the expansive possibilities for what courage, leadership, and revolution can—and do—look like.
Come launch it with us!
0
2
10
Read report by
@RemaNagarajan
on detention of people across 43 psychiatric hospitals in India - "Thousands cured, but stuck in mental asylums for years"
1
6
11
Alleviating India's mental health crisis is not exclusively the work of mental health practitioners; it requires all of us to, in our own ways, counter caste, counter wealth inequality, and counter the patriarchy.
0
5
10
On 14th August 2020
@goofyka
spoke in the
#VirtualSeminar
on “Addressing Socio Environmental Concerns through CSR”. The immersive session focussed on the implications of Covid-19 on populations facing social and economical disadvantages.
#Covid19
#MentalHealth
#Homelessness
1
2
10
Vandana Gopikumar & Vaishnavi Jayakumar are featured in a brand new children’s book alongside renowned women such as Indira Gandhi & Sania Mirza. “Like A Girl: Real Stories For Tough Kids” by
@Aparna
Jain is available for pre-order now.
2
6
10
We are excited to invite you to the 4th edition of the Sundram Fasteners Lecture Series. Join the upcoming lecture by Professor Pallab Kumar Maulik on "Implementation Research on Tribal Mental Health in India".
1
3
10
In the yesteryear article above, Dr. Vandana Gopikumar, Co-Founder of the Banyan and BALM, and
@drjradhakrishnan
explore
#homelessness
,
#housing
instability, and mental health: a nexus of different but intrinsically connected concepts.
1
0
11
Buy a calendar and support those poor, homeless and living with mental illness. These calendars feature the cute mutties that have been with The Banyan from the very beginning. To place an order e-mail: aditya
@talenttreasury
.com
#woof
#25yearsofTheBanyan
0
12
10
Note: Consent sought for sharing story and use of photograph / videos.
0
1
11
“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.
"Pooh!" he whispered.
"Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. "I just wanted to be sure of you.”
― A.A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner .
.
#Friendships
#Relationships
#EmergencyCareAndRecoveryServices
#Mogappair
0
3
10
Experiences of marginalised people with psychosocial disabilities reinforces and questions the problematic notion of
#exclusivity
attached to rights & resources.
.
#HumanRightsDay
#StandUp4HumanRights
#MentalHealth
#Homelessness
2
3
11
Conference on Mental Health and Inclusive Development begins - first day focuses on social work education and practice for addressing social inclusion of people living with mental illness
#MHID2019
#SocialWork
#SocialInclusion
1
2
10
We are Hiring!
@banyanbalm
is looking for Research Assistants who will be part of the
#HomeAgain
approach's upcoming scale-up in states of India apart from Sri Lanka, supported by
@gchallenges
and multiple other partners.
.
#ApplyNow
#HomeAgain
#MentalHealth
#Homelessness
1
13
11
#HighlightsOf2019
2019 was a year of alliances and collaborations to further the goal of social inclusion, self directed lives of choosing for people with psychosocial disabilities.
Illustration credit:
@prrr_butt
1
2
10
Today, on the 6th Death Anniversary of Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, we fondly remember Dr. Kalam inaugurating our Community Health Approach — Clustered Group Homes (CGH) in Kovalam on 23 August 2007.
He is pictured here with The Banyan's co-founders.
1
2
10
Judith Heumann a lifelong
#advocate
for rights of disabled people — one of the most influential voices in the disability rights movement said — "Independent living is not doing things by yourself. It is being in
#charge
of how things are done."
.
#UserLed
#PeerLeaders
#HomeAgain
1
2
10
The OMC Patient Information desk set up by
@banyanbalm
in partnership with Govt. of Tamil Nadu was formally declared open yesterday at 11.30 am by State Dignitaries including Thiru
@Udhaystalin
,
@Dayanidhi_Maran
,
@Subramanian_ma
,
@PKSekarbabu
and
@RAKRI1
IAS amongst others.
2
1
9
Welcome to
#TheBanyanStory
.
Thank you for being a part of this story - spanning 29 years, 13 states and 1 million+ lives.
Join us as we share the journey of servicing low-income households and homeless people through a range of approaches.
0
2
10
Thread: Homeless ppl have been silent and unacknowledged contributors to the nation's workforce and economic development for yrs. They have been at the receiving end of labour rights violations, erratic job opportunities and uneven pay in comparison to their housed counterparts
1
3
9
As we mark the International Day of Families,
@banyanbalm
fondly recalls all the non-traditional family members in our community who have supported and helped us gather and assimilate wisdom in our journey.
2
4
8
Mr Desiraju recently wrote the book "Of Gifted Voice" -- which analytically chronicled the life, art and stories surrounding M.S. Subbulakshmi.
1
1
10
We are looking for Personal Assistants to join Home Again across sites - in Tamil Nadu (Chennai, Kovalam) and Maharashtra (Navi Mumbai, Ratnagiri). Those interested are requested to apply by writing in to jobs
@thebanyan
.org
.
#HiringNow
#MentalHealth
#TamilNadu
#Maharashtra
1
11
10
WORKSHOP ALERT!! Mental Health Professionals are invited to register for the Diploma in Cognitive Analytic Therapy being offered by The Banyan Academy of Leadership The Mental Health. The course will be led by three accredited experts in Cognitve Analytic Therapy.
0
7
10
Chennai’s Sleep Out - campaign to end homelessness opens
@BigSleepOuts
@HCL_Foundation
#EndHomelessness
#BigSleepOut
1
3
10
Those with power can afford
to tell their story
or not.
Those without power
risk everything to tell their story
and must 2/3
1
5
10
and when we speak we are afraid
our words will not be heard
nor welcomed
but when we are silent
we are still afraid
.
so it is better to speak
remembering
we were never meant to survive.
.
A Litany for Survival
By Audre Lorde
.
#OrangeTheWorld
#16Days
#EndGBV
#ItsTimeToAct
1
4
9
On
#IndigenousDay
, we are happy to announce that The Banyan Academy will be shortly be starting the Centre for Indigenous Culture, Healing Praxis and Mental Health.
.
#IndigenousPeoplesDay
#CommunityMentalHealth
#Livelihoods
1
3
10