prajadwani

Genesis

Chris Underhill, Founder Director, Basic Needs UK was instrumental in experimenting and promoting Community Mental Health 7 Development Model with a small group in Bangalore. Groundwork began in 2000 and the organization was registered as a Trust in March 2001.

Vision

Basic Needs India seeks to satisfy the essential needs of all people with mental illness in India and to ensure that their basic rights are respected and fulfilled.

Process

The basic of all work is listening to the voices of  people living with mental illness and involving affected people and involving them right from the very beginning in planning how situations may be handled. People's voices play a crucial role in dialogue that shapes development processes.

The first step is developing right partnership through identifying community-based organizations (CBOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who are willing to include the needs of people with mental illness in their ongoing developmental work. BNI works with their staff and facilitating appropriate and orientation and capacity building processes through training and handholding in the areas of mental health, economic empowerment, social inclusion etc. 

Coverage

BNI works with partner organizations in parts 56 districts in rural Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa and Maharashtra and urban poor in Bangalore City.