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Let’s Talk About Mental Illness
Depression by the year 2030 will be the second-highest disease burden of all the diseases in the world. Closer to us, back home in India, the numbers are expected to increase manifold. Yet, mental illnesses are still treated as a stigma. We do not recognise the gravitas of the situation.
When someone is feeling down, most people react to the person cynically. They are either deemed uninspired or lazy. While, for some, it maybe a brief period of a trough, for most, it is an endless and hopeless cycle that feels more and more, bleak than the day before.
What is frustrating is that people don’t realise the gravitas of the situation at hand. More and more people are diagnosed with clinical depression, yet the conversation around it becomes lesser and lesser. There have been instances where the person’s plight wasn’t even known to the closest friends and families until it was too late. It is tragic to know about reality through the most devastating way possible — suicide letters. If only, they had been understood and got the necessary help.
Source: Seed Psychology
It is too easy to point fingers and state that those suffering could share their plight. However, we need to ask ourselves– is there a place for them to open up? What is the intention with which they will be received? We need to create an environment that is conducive in nature. Not one to victimise and certainly not to judge.
Depression has many causes. Some are medical, due to family history, others due to the circumstances and surroundings. As we are regularly exposed to the virtual world, we are susceptible to ridicule and abuse under the pretence of having the right to express opinions. It is a vicious cycle of being exposed to more and more condemnation when we seek validation externally. Most people just need a shoulder to cry on. They don’t need to be victimised or pitied. All they look for is someone who can listen to them while they process what they are going through.
Mental ailments are not a stigma. They are not an occurrence due to curses or any superstitions. It is essential to look at people facing mental break down as a period of contemplation and introspection. Those going through it should be supported with consideration and thoughtfulness. Be open to having conversations and discussions on what goes through their minds. Give them space to express themselves. Although it may seem far-fetched and daunting, assure them that by observing what they are going through and being aware of all the changes happening within. Assure them that they can get over the phase with resilience.
Source: DBSA Monrovia
It is imperative to reach out to them and let them know that although all seems to be bleak right now, there is only one direction to move when you hit rock bottom. So the next time you see someone and sense that they are mentally down, #Dobarapoocho.
Farmers form the backbone of the Indian Economy, making up more than 40% of the workforce. However, every day 28 people dependent on farming commit suicide—the post-harvest losses in the country amount to over 93,000 crores per year. The loss of 93,000 crores constitutes approximately 40% of the country’s total produce. This occurs due to the perishable nature of agricultural produce, which often forces farmers to sell their produce at the prevailing market price, be it high or low, thereby resulting in a loss of bargaining power.
Addressing this issue through the positive power of social entrepreneurship, Enactus DCAC, an international not for profit student body organisation, initiated Project Zaraat for the upliftment of the farming community. The mission of Project Zaraat is to minimise post-harvest losses and enhance forward linkages through a self-sustaining social enterprise.
Project Zaraat | Image Source: NAC Media
Under the mentorship and guidance of Michigan State University and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Zaraat provides the farmers with a unique storage solution that works on the principle of evaporative cooling. It is affordable, portable, and eco-friendly, making it different from conventional storage facilities. Moreover, this solution increases the shelf life of the produce by upto ten days, ensuring that the quality of produce does not deteriorate. Apart from this, they also aim to partner with various B2B aggregators to ensure a rise in income for the farmers and provide them with payment security.
Project Zaraat | Image Source: NAC Media
Currently, they are in the process of integrating farmers into an FPO to ensure collective bargaining power. They are also exploring sustainable agriculture practices that are vital in a climate constrained world.
Project Zaraat is a recipient of the KPMG Ethics Grant and also received a Special Mention at the Enactus Early Stage National Competition 2021.
Building on this by the end of the year, they aim to sustain the lives of 100 farmers by providing them with an income boost of 25%, reduce post-harvest losses by a whopping 60%, and minimise the energy consumption by 20%. For more information, visit www.enactusdcac.com.
Project Zaraat by Enactus DCAC
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