On occasion of World Mental Health Day , we are really excited and proud to share this film on Mann Mela – our unique games-based mental health and mental justice fair!
Developed by Deepa Pawar who belongs to a nomadic tribe, the module is inclusive and congnisant of the way that mental health is impacted by very diverse realities that are experienced by nomadic tribes, denotified tribes, adivasi populations, Dalit communities, migrants and informal workers, single women, persons with disability, dealing with medical issues, and so on.. When Anubhuti started working in 2016, we realized that mental health matters is an intrinsic part of every issue we work with – be it of gender equality, Caste, housing, sanitation, civil rights, history, identity, violence prevention or any other. But the existing language, literature, methods and resources of mental health are not inclusive of the diverse communities and groups that we work with. Mann Mela emerged as a response and as of today has reached thousands; more than 6 batches of youth leaders from the communities that we reach, have been trained to facilitate the module who have taken it to schools, colleges, nomadic communities, Adivasi padas, rural villages, Ashram Shala, ITIs …
Really proud and privileged that this film was launched last week with a diverse group representing the different ages, genders, communities and geographic areas that we work with. Youth Fellows from our Guts Fellowship program maximum of whom are from NT-DNT, Dalit communities; community leaders who are most closely connected to our Disaster Resilience program ; women leaders from Devdasi, Murali, Banjara community identities, tent dwelling, rural, migrant, in highly informal occupations…
This diversity is also symbolic of the intersections of these different social, political, economic, historical experiences with mental health, together which we have coined as Mental Justice.
Much love and Dosti Zindabad to Mariwala Health Initiative for supporting the making of this film!
Lots of love to Ruth Lobo who directed and edited the film with lot of sensitivity to the communities being represented and their movements!
Thank you and congratulations team Anubhuti and mariwala foundation for being conducting such important and meaningful intiative which is benefiting really really needy and marginalized groups of our society. More power and strength to you and the team.