In a quiet corner of the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondiarpet is a shelter for homeless people, dealing with psycho-social issues, run by Anbagam, an NGO that specialises in rehabilitating persons with mental illness.
Launched in 2013 as part of the Greater Chennai Corporation’s initiative to reduce the number of homeless people on the streets, the shelter has since rehabilitated almost 1,000 people. By providing basic amenities such as food and water, the shelter has allowed these men and women, who have either lost their way or have been abandoned by their family, to find purpose in their lives or even just offered a safe place as they get ready to move on.
The shelter is managed by Rafiya, daughter of Mohammed Rafi, Anbagam’s founder. At present, there are 25 women and 35 men in the shelter between the ages of 18 and 65. A night rescue team consisting of police officers and social workers picks up people from the streets and sends them to relevant shelters after examining them.
Sometimes, they come willingly but there are chances of them putting up a fight. Corporation shelters provide residence for a maximum of one year. “Our aim is not to provide a permanent home but facilitate rehabilitation as we have to continuously take in people every night,” she says.
“It is important to make them feel useful so we divide responsibilities among them, which include cleaning their spaces, washing, gardening and cooking,” she says. Evenings are reserved for dance and music and once a week, yoga classes are conducted. However, everything is done under medication. One man even offered to paint the shelter because he was a painter before. All the festivals are celebrated with enthusiasm, most recently Madras Day on August 22.
Sometimes, Anbagam takes in people from other States. Ms. Rafiya says that a close network among various NGOs helps in facilitation. Mrinalini Ravi, co-lead, Sundram Fasteners Centre for Social Action and Research and the Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health, says this is because a psychotic state can lead to disorientation and unexplained actions.
Housing needs
“The government should offer housing schemes to those with disabilities as well preventing the mentally ill from remaining locked up in hospitals, a move that will be cost-effective too,” she says.
Each shelter is allocated ₹6 lakh and ₹4 lakh from the Union and State governments respectively, says Anitha Muthusamy, assistant coordinator, shelter for the urban homeless. “Every day something new is happening and I go into it with a good mindset”, she says about her experience of the past six years. However, there are days when patients get violent and fight among themselves. A constant vigil helps bring the situation under control, she says.
“The shelters were established to integrate the homeless with society and enable them to have a standing in society”, said City Health Officer M. Jagadeesan.
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