Udupi: ‘Vishwasada Mane,’ a ray of hope for challenged

By Snehalthatha Udupi
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 17 Aug 2012: The ‘Vishwasada Mane,’ in Shankarapur which acts as a blend of old age home, orphanage and home for mentally challenged is now eagerly expecting financial support from the government to run the institution.

 

Speaking to media persons, Chairman Pastor Sunil John D’Souza said that the house has about 215 inmates, of which, there are nine women, three men, four disabled and 50 kids.

 

 

Remaining are all mentally challenged people who were found in different conditions across the district. However, better psychological treatment has enabled more than 80 per cent of these people to come out from their illness and lead a normal life.

 

Vishwasada Mane has an expenditure crossing Rs 3.5 to Rs 4 lakhs annually to take care of its inmates and also to provide medical treatment. The people who suffered grave psychological illness for various reasons are trained for livelihood once they start leading normal lives coming out from the mental trauma, he added.

 

 

The Pastor introduced four people who were found in very bad mental condition in the city and are now coming back to the normal life owing to the treatment and nurturing they received in house. Prabhakar Reddy, aged 37, from Andhra Pradesh was found in the city with psychological problems. He had lost his memory.

 

However, with treatment, he was able to recover his memory back and is now leading a normal life by working in Vishwada Mane. Polani Swami, 29, is from Tamil Nadu. His parents were working in fireworks factory where match boxes are manufactured. He was found wandering in Kinnimulkhi before he got admitted in Vishwasada Mane in 2007.

 

Lal Raj is from Bangalore whose father was working as police constable in Anekal police station. Lal Raj is aged 32 and has two sisters. He was roaming at Udyavar Highway before coming to the Mane. Chinnatambi from Tamil Nadu is aged around 30. He was found in Katpadi in 2007.

 

The pastor said that nearly 102 people have become mentally stable owing to warmth and treatment they received in the house. The recovered inmates’ are trained for tailoring, gardening and also agriculture activities, he added.