History


Aasha was founded in 1989 by a group of care givers of people with mental illness who came together to create one of India's first family organisations. These were caregivers of a child at times children, sibling/s, spouse and relative diagnosed with mental illness. Padma Bhushan Dr. Sarada Menon was instrumental in giving these caregivers a push to start Aasha.

The last two decades at a glance:


• At first Aasha was a meeting ground for families to come together to discuss issues pertaining to their family members. They found that some of the main problems that they had to deal with were the issues of stigma and lack of awareness and empathy.

• This led Aasha to start conducting Advocacy programs and awareness drives. They started educating the community about eradication of stigma associated with this illness.

• Aasha then opened a Day care centre where individuals with mental illness could spend their day engaged in occupational therapy and recreational activities.

• Aasha took over an existing and floundering Psychiatric residential home with a resident strength of 20.

• Aasha Residential Rehabilitation home came into existence and began by providing a family atmosphere to its residents. Family care became an emphasis at the home. Group and Individual counseling, occupational therapy, emphasis on exercise and nutrition were scheduled daily at the home.

• Aasha continued advocacy programs and conducted some fund raising activities to provide a better quality of living for the residents of the home.

• Aasha home opened a residential wing for women with mental illness.

• Rehabilitation through employment became a focal point at Aasha with Aasha launching the Aasha Employment Project.

• The Aasha Employment project provides gainful employment to persons with mental illness in Employment units.

• Aasha started its first General and Stationery shops followed by 3 more shops and a paper cup manufacturing unit.

• Aasha shops started selling consumables and peripherals to companies and institutions.

Founder Members:


♦ Ratna Chibber ♦ A.G Manuel ♦ Gomathi Jayramrangan ♦ M. Krishnan ♦ Jayalakshmi
♦ Shantarao ♦ Victoria ♦ M. Kannan ♦ S. Kalyanaraman ♦ Ramalingam
♦ Abdul Wadood ♦ P.C Teekaraman ♦ Krishnaswamy ♦ B. Nagaraj ♦ K.R. Venkataraman

  • Plants: image 1 0f 10 thumb
  • title
  • title
  • title
  • title
  • title
  • title
  • title
  • title
  • title
  • title
  • title
  • title
  • title
  • title
  • title