14.7.2021 6pm IST
STREET PROVIDENCE TRUST GOA requires your help to ” Help Us Help The Helpless ” on the streets, priority and initially in the 4 main cities of Goa.
And the Helpless are those who have lost their mind, the men who roam around endlessly.
In short, Men with mental illness .
There are 3 types of people who live on the streets :
▪︎ Homeless
▪︎ Beggars
▪︎ People with disabilities ( lost their mind ).
We are initially working in these four cities / municipality of Goa only :
☆ Mapusa
☆ Panjim
☆ Vasco
☆ Margao
For homeless people with MENTAL ILLNESS only, supported by Goa Police.
( will later expand to other places in Goa )
We don't pick beggars and at the moment we are not accepting homeless people on the streets, as our houses are full .
Now why Goa Police ?
Helping the helpless is not easy as I write this post.
Since most of them are suffering from many years on the streets, there is a procedure which only the police can implement through a Magistrate Order.
This is how the system works 👇 :
☆ 1. In the 4 cities if you notice such homeless men with mental illness please call our volunteer whose number is mentioned for the respective city in the attached poster.
( pls try to avoid calling me, only whatsapp)
☆ 2. Once our volunteer verifies that the homeless person is having mental illness, he will go to the local police station .
☆ 3. Our volunteer will fix an appointment with the local police and our van with an attendant will reach the station .
☆ 4. This Van of ours will reach early 9am to the station, two constables will be deputed and the homeless man with mental issues will be picked up.
Only one man per day per trip.
☆ 5. First covid test and basic check up .
☆ 6. Then getting the MO from the respective magistrate which needs to be before 1 pm.
☆ 7. Proceed to IPHB who then refers to GMC for check up if any complications.
☆ 8. All check up once done , drop back to IPHB & admitt into IPHB
☆ 9. Then drop back the Constables to the respective police station.
Whole day is finished in the above exercise.
☆ 10 . Once treated say in 4 to 6 months, police will discharge and we will accept with the disability certificate into our homes.
Since it's a whole day affair, most police stations can't send their car so we will be using our NGO car at our cost as we are keen to HELP THE HELPLESS.
Q. Why was this not done consistently earlier by the police?
A. Because once discharged, they are again on the streets as there are no such designated Government homes to house such men with mental illness, who will be cared for and given their daily medicines , so why will any one want to waste time in picking them up .
But that will change soon .
We @ Street Providence are officially recognized by the Social Welfare Dept Goa & we are registered under Section 51 of The Rights of Person With Disabilities Act, 2016 to look after such HELPLESS people and we are offering free services.
We have been picking up such men and women with mental illness over the last 4 years with the support of the Goa Police but with the pandemic on , the number of such cases are rising & rising fast and we would like to help as many as possible.
It's not an easy task neither a pleasant service besides there are huge costs involved right from day one.
Today in India , 1 out of every 7 suffers from mental Illness.
Our 4 years of service on the streets of Goa ,(with over 400 people being picked up ) has taught us and we have alot of practical hands on experiences dealing with people with disabilities.
We as an NGO work for the HELPLESS and alot of men who were once suffering from mental illness over the last 4 years are recovering & have recovered, but have no place to go and so are now working with us to help the others who are suffering with the same mental illness.
There is a solution to mental illness and that Is medication, love, care , compassion , etc .
Please help us in any way you can.
Forward this post and the poster togther to people staying in the 4 main cities of Goa .
God bless you
Donald Fernandes
8380097564 / 7020314848