Saturday, February 12, 2011

Mukta Jeevan Hospital and Rehabilitation centre



This picture is taken from Society of the Helpers of Mary

Mukta Jeevan gives life to people

Mukta Jeevan   Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre is a home for the people suffering from Hansen’s  disease. Mukta Jeevan proudly states that these people are here to spend their second innings of life. This charitable organization was established in the year 1987 in Vehloli Village, at the outer coast of Shahapur Taluk in Thane district which is about 90 Km from Mumbai. This wonderful organization who’s only aim to provide a no less than a home feel to these people. All this has been possible because of the sisters of Helpers of Mary organization who beside taking care of these people also provide love and meaning to their life like family members.
          Over the years, this organization has been working effectively and efficiently to cure all the possible leprosy  patients who were economically less fortunate. They even with their maximum efforts, tried to reach the remote places which was further supported by the mobile clinics. To add to that they started organizing awareness programs so as to eradicate leprosy. Besides, they also started with a leprosy detection program recently, which is another attraction and was extended to 12 villages and 17 schools successfully, last year.
          The founder Late Fr. Anotnion Alessy  was a no less saint to say the least. Being an Italian Missionary, for him to come down all the way to India, just to serve the poor was a humongous task. He always thought about providing the best possible features in the hospital and undoubtedly all of them are well equipped. Just to give you a brief idea, this hospital has a clinical laboratory, operation theatre, X-ray facilities, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and even counseling center, exclusively for the people suffering from Hansen’s disease.



Hospice for HIV/AIDS children 
         
Children who are brought in this organization at a tender age are tested for HIV again after18 months for confirmation about the same. Though these kids can’t be cured but through the love and care of one and all in the organization, besides effective counseling by skilled and dedicated staff, the children are able to revive themselves even if it is just for a short while. Children during their transit life have a schooling facility also up to 6th class within the complex. The school is only till 6th standard, since, these kids are suffering from a disease which doesn’t allows them to study any further by providing them with a very small span of life.

Hospice for HIV/AIDS women

Besides the kids there is also an AIDS Women’s Hospital. Since, it is the recently started wing and has a very limited area as for now, so, only the women suffering from a full-blown AIDS are offered care and shelter to revive their fading lives.          The committed sisters and staff provide effective counseling to try and help them so that they can cope up with AIDS and also to make them prepared and bold enough to accept the disease and to live meaningfully till they are alive. Another important aspect in this home is the awareness program, which is targeted at the relatives and neighbors of the patient, to make them aware about them and try to change their views about the fellow patient.

Income Generation Programs
Besides just the love, care, food, medicine; Mukta Jeevan also provides occupational therapy like candle making, needlework, poultry, tailoring classes and gardening in addition to the adult literacy programs, to those who recover temporarily and also the productive people, and this is one of the way to prove the world that they are no way different for anyone.


Homes for senior citizens

In the world of nuclear family, one person who is left alone is the old in the house. So, Mukta Jeevan also started with the home for the aged programme. This NGO is doing a great work and for this it is well spread all over in India and also in Ethiopia, Kenya and in Italy.



Hear is a short interview from Mr singh the owner and editor of AB Samachar a local News channel of kalyan and Priyanka karia a reporter of AB Samachar..............................They have prepared a documentary on Mukta Jeevan

  
What made you to make this documentary? 
 The owner, editor, AB Samachar, Kalyan, Mr. Singh quoted that “My aim to make the documentary was to help the sister’s of Helpers of Mary Organization to make the masses aware about their surroundings. So that I can help the sisters raise more funds and help them directly or indirectly in the development of the organization.”

What was your experience in Mukta Jeevan while making the documentary? Had it created a sense of attachment with the children’s?
Priyanka karia a prudent news reporter of AB Samachar said that “I had a great yet sorrowful experience while making the documentary. Undoubtedly, the self esteem in me has been shattered to pieces as I came to know the ground reality of the people we tend to avoid. I got to learn many things. Each and every person taught me something or the other in their own way right from the leprosy wing to old age home to HIV women and children’s wing.  I specially got attached to children as they greet you like they have known you from ages, as if they were waiting for you to return and shower lots of love….

What about the work done by the people over there?
To make the patients stand on their own feet there are many ways work is provided to them, like candle making, preparing of baskets, weaving cloths, flower pot designing etc….this things prepared by them are sold in market and it contributes to their funds.



For more informationSociety of the Helpers of Mary





I got the idea to work on this article from my friend priyanka karia on face book as she being a local channel reporter prepared an documentary on Mukta Jeevan situated in Shahapur.


Postal address of the origination
          Mukta Jeevan society, Vehiole, Shahapur P.O; DT Thane-421601 Maharashtra INDIA.
Contact Number
0091(0)2527 220051/220346
Mr. Singh: - 9892668145
Miss Priyanka Karia: - 9022043313


MEETALI BIJAN ROYCHOUDHARY
CLASS-TYBMM (JOURNALISM)
ROLL NO-49.
JOSHI BEDEKAR COLLEGE

2 comments:

  1. Mitalee... give a short intro where the interview starts..it is starting too abruptly.

    ReplyDelete