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| Dr.Hyder Ali-Mini and Monukka-Shakkeela, Vettathunad Mental Rehabilitation Centre, Malappuram |
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In the mental rehabilitation centre at Vettam, Malappuram, the patients are treated as a resource and assigned small jobs in the running of the centre. Started by 2 couples, Monukka-Shakkeela and Dr.Hyder Ali-Mini, the centre now has 300 inmates.
It was the fate of his brother Shamsudeen, a student of MBBS at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore that made Monukka dream of starting a rehabilitation centre. Shamsudeen, who had become addicted to drugs, had entered the cocoon of fantasy. Today he is an inmate at the rehabilitation centre.
Najeeb is another former MBBS student, whose drug addiction drove him from the classroom to the streets. Today he is the pharmacist at the rehabilitation centre, aware of the loss he had inflicted on himself, and yet not fully recovered. It was Dr.Hyder Ali who had picked him from the streets and set him on the path of recovery.
At the centre, the non-violent patients are assigned jobs based on their aptitude. Thus, manufacture of artifacts and candles, taking care of domestic animals and rare birds, agriculture, running biogas plant, vermicompost unit, pumping of water etc have been assigned to different patients. By getting involved in productive jobs, the patients are able to get a better grip on their minds.
While Monukka and Shakkeela were dreaming of starting a centre for helping persons like Shamsudeen, Dr.Hyder Ali and Mini joined them in a marriage of ideas. Thus did the centre come up 3 years ago.
Monukka-Shakkeela
Courtesy:
Thoppil Shajahan,
Vanitha, October 15-31, 2005
Contributed by: Administrator
