1. . Society for Integrated Development & Social Action (SIDSA)
Project: Targeting Women with Disabilities
Supported by: Abilis Foundation- Finland
Project No.: 07AA52
A Case for Mainstreaming of woman with mental illness…….
Name: Shyamali Mistri
Father’s Name: Santosh Mistri
Age: 30
Address: Village- Goalara Raidighi – Sundarban, South 24 Paraganas
When Shyamali Mistri came
to our notice, she was patient
of severe mental illness. She
was abandoned by her
husband and stayed at her
parent’s house. She had two
children comprising two sons
and was bound with an iron-
chain.
In the period of her marriage
life Shyamali Mistri was
In the period of her Mental Illness Shyamali is chained. always beaten by her husband
and thus she suffered a lot
until her second issue of male child born. One day, her brain got a severe injury by her
husband and she became a patient of mental illness. Due to her mental illness her
husband gave up her and she was transferred to her parent’s house with her two sons.
Sometimes, due to her mental illness
she used to go outside of her parents’
house. Her parents and neighbours
thought it would better to bind her
with a chain and she was chained.
Sometimes, she used to snarl as a
surly dog and eat with dogs with her
same pot. Sometimes, she used to
treat her stool as oil for her body.
Thus, she had been continuing her
life for eight years at her parent’s
house. She was not got any treatment
due to their poverty. On 3rd Dec’ 08 Shyamali Participated in World Disable Day
SIDSA identified her and decided to treat her for mainstreaming. She was taken under the
supervision of some dedicated workers of SIDSA and freed her from chain. All members
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2. of SIDSA look after her at the premises of SIDSA carefully and help her to think as a
member of this community. Every week, she used to be taken to a hospital “Antara
Psychiatric Centre” which was situated about 65
Kms.away from the place.
It was about half a year to care her under the
supervision of SIDSA. Now, she is in her natural
situation of her life and mainstreamed. She was
sent her parents house on 2nd February’2009 and
day after day SIDSA staff of’ Targeting Women
with Disabilities’ goes to her parents house to
watch her. She is still now under the care and
treatment of Mental hospital and has to be gone
to hospital once within two months. But she is
controlled and got her self-reliance to do
something or speak. In the mean time, her
husband already remarried another woman and
lives with her.
After mainstreaming Shyamali is with her
She was participated at the programme of World
mother, children and sister-in-law.
Disable Day” organised by SIDSA and tell the
participants on microphone about her. She thinks it would be better if she could join as a
member of SHG and get support from SIDSA to live and nurture her children (10 yrs and
12 yrs.) properly. She decided not to go her husband’s house. She thinks it as her rebirth.
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