Margadeepthi Charitable Trust was formed in 2004 with the prime object of promoting the general welfare of the mentally ill persons of all caste, community, sex, race, religion etc so that they live independently like any other person in the society. The mentally disturbed persons do deserve more compassion and care as the society often adopts an attitude of indifference and scorn towards such persons. It has more or less become the
need of the day to treat these hapless persons with due consideration and regard.
Margadeepthi Charitable Trust is a service organization functioning with the sole motive of emancipating such helpless lot from the clutches of disgrace and humiliation inflicted upon them from various quarters of the society,
Today our Trust has grown to the stature of a pioneer NGO piloting many projects in pursuit of excellence in the field of mental health and to cope With the ever growing demand for bringing these ill-fated mentally challenged Persons to the main stream of our society. An estimated 2% of the populations suffer partial or permanent disabilities on account of mental illness. These most neglected and abused strata of the society do not get the required Support for treatment and rehabilitation in order that a mentally ill person get Due recognition, respect and opportunities to be a part of the main stream.
The biggest challenge is social stigma and the aversion of majority to open their eyes and be compassionate towards the ill-fated mentally challenged persons. In such a situation Margadeepthi has taken up these social evils as a challenge
and started a master plan to provide free treatment, medicines and regular monthly follow-ups in all the 91 panchayaths and 4 Municipalities of Palakkad District from January 2007 onwards by organising free monthly medical campsfor the mentally ill persons with the support of local body authorities. Two medical vans with all the modern psychiatric medicines from reputed pharmaceutical companies, two qualified and experienced doctors of psychiatry, pharmacist along with Trustees and other staff members do visit each of the local body office as scheduled for each month with the motive to make Palakkad District a model for anybody else to follow in the field of mental health. Our objective is to eradicate mental illness and stigma associated with it from Palakkad District in course of time by building confidence in them that mental illness is treatable and controllable.
As envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi our Father of Nation the need to go to the villages to help the poor, and needy, We started moving to the patients in all villages of Palakkad district instead of the patients going to the doctors for Treatment. In January 2007 the number of patients attending our camps was a mere 200 which steadily grew up to 3000 by the end of 2009. Margadeepthi has become a recognized name in the circle of Social Service and has become synonym with mental health care in Palakkad District. Thanks to the confidence reposed with us by the public. The medicine and other expenses cost us roughly rupees 15 Lakhs per month at an average of Rs 500 per patient.
We do conduct periodical wareness classes at varies centres of palakkad District for the care givers of mentally challenged persons and service minded social workers to educate them the importance of long term treatment and proper care for the successful completion of treatment and to get best result. We also conduct seminars with the help of eminent doctors of psychiatry in order to remove social stigma and myths about mental illness and treatment.
Since There is no hospital exclusively to deal with mentally challenged persons in palakkad district, we propose to construct a full fledged hospital for this purpose.
Our Trustees include Doctors, Advocates, Professors, Retired Officials Social workers, Businessmen Etc
Ours is a registered Public Charitable Trust. Our accounts are audited every year . We have obtained Section 12A and section 80G certificates under Income Tax Act. We have also registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act,1976 under Section 6(1)(a) of the Act and our registration number is 052890095. We have applied for certificates under Sec 35 AC of Income Tax Act.
Our Activities, accounts etc are transparent, could be examined by any one at any time, Without prior intimation.
The Trust deed envisages various social and economical objectives to provide quality help to achieve high standards in the field of Mental Health, Educational facilities to the poor and brilliant students etc. The immediate task was to help the helpless and hapless mentally ill persons of Palakkad District, Kerala State as the need for such help from persons below poverty line and lower middle class was very high. The priority of the Trust has been:
- To promote general welfare of the mentally challenged persons
(III/Retarded/Disturbed/Disabled/and Destitutes) of all caste, community, sex, race, religion etc. regardless of the degree of handicap so that they live as independently and as fully as possible like any other person as also as close to the community to which they belong.
- Providing free treatment and free medicines regularly and as long as required,
- Starting rehabilitation centres to bring those mentally challenged persons to the main stream of the society.
- Campaign against social stigma and superstition in order that the patients and the care-givers do get love and respect as any other normal person.
- Conducting regular awareness classes to make the care-givers know the importance of their role in and out of their families and the society.
- To create awareness among the general public the need for their services to uplift the mentally challenged persons.
- To start de-addiction centres to save the liquor and drug addicts from total ruin
- Constructions of a Ml fledged Mental Health Complex
- Construction of old age homes for destitutes as well as other needy persons,
- Start counselling centres for the benefits of patients, caregivers and students of various age groups.
- To propagate the message of living in peace and harmony by publishing pamphlets, books and periodicals highlighting various accepts of mental illness and mental health.
Margadeepthi Charitable Trust was formed four years ago with the prime object of promoting the general welfare of the mentally ill persons of all caste, community, sex, race, religion etc so that they live independently like any other person in the society.
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