KOZHIKODE: At a time when the women survivors of injustice and sexual harassment especially forsaken pregnant women are often ill treated by society, here is a unique home named ‘Santhwanam’ (compassion) that welcomes such women with open arms. This home that also welcomes the survivors of poverty is functioning at Chathmangalam near Mukkam and at present has 15 women in distress for the last 14 years.
This organization even provides all facilities to unmarried pregnant women for childbirth while keeping their details in secret. The organisation run by Subheer and is unique with the depth and risk of responsibilities it takes. “Almost 50 women gave birth to healthy children here”, said Sudheer. They were all given sufficient treatment and medicines from the trust.
Santhwanam itself takes the responsibility of finding a rented house for the mother and child and even arranges a livelihood for single mothers to bring their children up. Newborns abandoned by the mothers are moved to orphanages, he added.
“I am a survivor of brutal harassment by my husband and I gave birth to my younger child here”, says Smitha, member of Santhwanam. “Now I have a stable income to educate my children,” she adds. Santhwanam is a government-approved organization. It has also become the home for many women who were abandoned by relatives at Kuthiravattom mental hospital even 20-25 years after the complete cure of mental illness.
“I was in the hospital for 17 years. No one came to take me home “said Geetha, now an inhabitant of Santhwanam. Santhwanam charitable trust has been functioning in a rented house. It welcomes contributions from kind-hearted people.
