Winner of National Youth Award - 2007, from the then President of India His Excellency Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, I have founded the Organisation EshaasEP. This highest civilian Award for youth in India, has been conferred to me for my relief and rehabilitation activities during and aftermath of tsunami and protecting the interests of the children with Mental Retardation
After the initial phase of tsunami response, the different level of sensitivity incites our EshaasEP to put the accent on its own different priority to intercede the interests of the Mentally Retarded children.

The Mental Retardation is deeply stigmatizing. The presence of one such family member cruelly deprives even the family of socially satisfying and economically productive life. A large portion of patients needs a continuum of care and year-round medication.

Betwixt and between the tsunami and pre-existing complex humanitarian emergencies tsunami surviving Mentally Retarded children have had to negotiate a range of constraints. Both Mentally Retarded children and their families have to frequently face scorn, ridicule, fear and rejection because of lack of awareness of the rural society. These stigmatizing influences make miserable for them and their families and ultimately add to their difficulties.

EshaasEP advocates children with Mental Retardation to grow in their own family. But a major source of worry for parents is the possibility that their retarded child may outlive them. The question, “what will happen to my son or daughter after we are no more?” keeps bothering them as they and their child grow older. Also, families commonly face the problem of making temporary arrangement for care outside the family in times of crisis, family function, journeys and other situations. There are also some families in very difficult circumstances, for whom providing care for their Retarded member becomes impossible. Even the families who have a high commitment and who are taking good care of their affected member feel the need to be relieved of the stress of care for short periods to avoid burn-out.

Invariably, the Mentally Retarded have to depend on family support, where there is none, are left to wander. EshaasEP observes the absence of a supportive care system from a strong care providing credential based organization in this region.

These trends triggered EshaasEP to institute a care home, hospital with research centre for the benefit of children with Mental Retardation in the tsunami affected Nagapattinam District.

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