Evidence

Journey of Change!

Every story reflects the strength of individuals, families, and communities who have overcome barriers and learned to navigate life by recognizing their potential, building meaningful relationships, and actively participating in their communities. Through these journeys, they experience greater stability, comfort, and well-being in their everyday lives.

Together, these stories demonstrate how SHIFA's community-based mental health and disability inclusion can restore dignity, strengthen resilience, and create lasting change.

Back on the Wheel of Life!

When SHIFA began its community mental health work in 2012, many people believed that mental illness could not be treated. Families often turned to traditional healers, while those experiencing severe mental health difficulties were left isolated and excluded.
Mr. Jagdish's family was among the first to seek support. With regular treatment, home-based psychosocial follow-up, and the unwavering care of his wife, Kamlesh, he gradually regained stability and confidence. Today, the couple travels together by bicycle to collect his medicines—a simple journey that reflects trust, recovery, and hope. Mr. Jagdish now contributes to his family through livelihood support and community employment, demonstrating that with timely care and family support, recovery and social inclusion are possible.

Finding Hope Together!

Soon after their marriage, Vijay noticed that Dolly was experiencing mental health challenges in her behavior that neither she nor her family could understand. She would wander away from home, collect rubbish, neglect self-care, and often come into conflict with neighbors. Despite seeking help from local practitioners and faith healers, the family found no lasting relief.
After attending a SHIFA community sensitization meeting, Vijay learned to recognize the signs of mental health difficulties and sought support. With diagnosis, regular treatment, home-based psychosocial follow-up, and counseling, Dolly gradually regained stability while the couple developed positive caregiving practices.Today, Dolly manages her household and cares for her child, and the couple shares their experience to encourage other families to seek timely mental health support.

From Ignorance to Insight

At 19, Pinku began experiencing severe mental health difficulties. After a year of treatment, he developed cataracts in both eyes, and his aged father mistakenly believed the condition was a side effect of psychiatric medication. His treatment was stopped, leaving him without care for nearly 11 years.
When SHIFA's mental health camp began, a Mental Health Volunteer helped the family understand his condition and reconnect him with treatment. Since then, Pinku has remained regular with his medication, while SHIFA supported his cataract surgeries at Herbertpur Christian Hospital. With his eyesight restored and his behaviour more composed, Pinku regained social confidence, stability and hopes to return to tailoring. SHIFA also supported him with a sewing machine, helping him move towards renewed independence and livelihood.

Finding His Way Back Home

For over 07 years, Shish Pal struggled with alcohol dependence, which affected his health, family relationships, and livelihood. His drinking often led to conflict and domestic violence, and his wife sometimes had to leave home with their three children.
A SHIFA Mental Health Volunteer gradually built trust with Shish Pal and his family, helping them understand the effects of alcohol dependence and its impact on children. Encouraged to seek further support, Shish Pal began attending SHIFA's fortnightly mental health camp and started oral-substitute treatment. Over time, his drinking reduced significantly, domestic violence stopped, and family relationships began to heal. He and his wife later joined the Parenting Programme. Today, Shish Pal openly shares his journey and hopes to support other young people struggling with alcohol dependence.

Clinical Outreach & Continuum of Care

From clinical outreach to home-based care, SHIFA walks alongside individuals and families, ensuring continued support, treatment, and hope throughout their journey of recovery.

School Resilience

From Classrooms to Lasting Change

What began as weekly classroom sessions evolved into a journey of self-discovery for 128 students from two higher secondary schools in rural Saharanpur. Through the Jeevan Sanchar emotional resilience curriculum, students explored self-awareness, managing anger, responding positively to failure, recognizing personal strengths, and building healthy relationships. The real milestone came when five students confidently shared their personal learning during the Jeevan Sanchar dissemination event in October 2025. Their reflections demonstrated that emotional resilience can be learned, practiced, and applied in everyday life. The initiative also encouraged the District School Authority to permit SHIFA to train school teachers on the Jeevan Sanchar manual, bringing teachers into the process and creating a pathway for long-term sustainability within schools.

Parenting Program

Breaking Cultural Taboos: Learning to Lead by Example

In many families, challenges such as financial stress, conflict between spouses, and limited communication can affect children's emotional well-being. As children increasingly look beyond their families for role models, SHIFA's Parenting Programme helps parents strengthen relationships, develop positive parenting practices, and become role models for their children.
Through three parenting groups, 41 families participated in regular learning sessions over four months, followed by a reflection and learning-sharing workshop. The highlight was a symbolic garlanding ceremony, where couples renewed their commitment to one another and to raising their children with care and understanding. For many, it was their first public expression of affection since their marriage. The experience helped couples reconnect, break cultural taboos, and reaffirm their shared responsibility for building healthier families and nurturing their children's future.

Behaviour Change Curriculum

Parenting curriculum for nurturing healthy child development and family well-being

Community Engagement & Action

( Caregiver Group, DPO )

From Participation to Collective Action

When SHIFA first met Rekha's family in 2013, they were living in extreme poverty. Rekha, a woman with physical disability, supported her family through domestic work, while her husband, living with schizophrenia, was unable to earn a stable income. Their unfinished house, poor living conditions, and social exclusion reflected the combined burden of poverty and disability.
Through SHIFA, Rekha's husband was linked to psychiatric care and home-based psychosocial support, while Rekha joined the village Disabled People's Group that later evolved into the registered GHOSALA Divyang Sewa Samittee. As her confidence grew, she became an active member, accessed disability entitlements, and discovered the strength of collective community action.
Supported by the DPO, Rekha successfully advocated for her family's inclusion under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin), enabling them to build a permanent home. Her husband also secured livelihood support and employment in “Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen)”, while Rekha became a member of a Self- Help Group. Today, their children attend school, the family enjoys improved stability, and Rekha continues to demonstrate how community participation can grow into leadership and lasting change.

Seeing Through Another's Eyes

effective care begins by understanding how people make meaning of their own lives!

A simple group exercise transformed the way we understood caregiving. Caregivers, volunteers, and project staff were invited to interpret an enlarged image from SHIFA's Care Plan. Most participants could only identify isolated parts, and each person explained the picture differently. As the complete image gradually emerged, participants realized that people often understand the world through their own experiences and perspectives. Everyone then placed a coloured palm print on the canvas, symbolizing shared responsibility and mutual support. This experience reshaped the project's practice, reminding volunteers to first understand each person's worldview before offering advice, strengthening empathy, respectful communication, and truly person-centred mental health care.

Community Engagement

Transformed the way we understood caregiving