Care & Support of the Mentally Distressed

Sita,  Ram’s mother, is also his sole carer feels that her son loves CNMH’s weekly welcome center programs. “He loves playing board games with other people”. “Only here” according to her “does he have game partners and opponents to play with or to play against”. “He loves playing board game and here he is a champion”. “No one can defeat my son here” she said calmly and added “but of course sometimes he loses”. The games however are not only attraction for him. According her “he loves being around the social workers from CNMH”. “Even during his worst phase, a mere presence of CNMH’s social worker in the house used to calm him”. She added “everything he likes is here”. she said:

“He loves me very much and I am always with him every Wednesday in this CNMH office. Apart from me he loves being around social workers here who are also present here during the welcome center programs. He has two other friends here with whom he smokes and play games. He meets his friends only once a week and only here. He loves playing games here. I think he is most happy when he is here. I love seeing him happy. I wish every day in his life will be like this” 

Ram’s mother also finds welcome center very important. According to her, Ram always ask her “when is the time to go to CNMH ?”. On Tuesdays (a day before the welcome center) he regularly asks her “if his formal clothes are clean”. She adds “Wednesday morning is the only time when he washes himself and combs his hair”. “It is also the only day when he wakes up slightly early than before and spend time in front of the mirror”. According to her, what Ram likes about welcome center are “social workers”, “friends”, “food” and above all “acceptance”. 

“ My son is simple minded and quiet, but he knows if someone loves him or not. He knows I love him (smiles) and he knows sathi haru (friends at the center and social workers from CNMH) love him. They comb his hair, cut his nails, and arrange doctors and therapists check his condition.  He likes coming here and he also enjoys meeting his friends. Whenever I bring him here, I feel I have brought him back to home from school when he was a child. He used to get so excited to come back home and I see the same excitement when he comes here. He also loves receiving transportation money from CNMH. He loves giving a small portion of this money to me (with tears in her eyes)”