Mehac Foundation

Dr. Poornima Sunder, Program Director and Consultant Psychiatrist at Mehac Foundation, participated in a panel discussion titled ‘Systems in Motion: Practice, Evidence and Reality’ on 27 June.
The session was part of a course conducted by Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health which explores population-level approaches to mental health care with a strong emphasis on preventive and promotive frameworks.
During the discussion, Dr. Poornima presented an overview of Mehac’s journey in building community mental health systems through sustained community engagement, collaboration, and a rights-based approach. The session provided a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, reflect on lessons from practice, and explore how communities, service providers, and local systems can work together to create more inclusive and sustainable mental health care.

As part of the ‘Jwala Samagra Sthree Suraksha Project’ under the Kavalam Grama Panchayat, a mental health awareness session was conducted for 36 girls aged 10–17 years.
The session focused on understanding mental health, managing stress, emotional well-being, healthy coping strategies and the importance of seeking support when needed. Interactive discussions and group activities enabled participants to explore common challenges faced by adolescents, including academic pressure, social media stress, self-esteem concerns, and interpersonal difficulties.

The entire Mehac team recently had the opportunity to meet and interact with our respected Trustees — Dr. Chitra Venkateswaran, Dr. Anita Rajah, Dr. Srikala Bharat and Mr. Mukundan Mulloth. The meeting provided a valuable space for the Trustees to engage with individual team members and learn more about their work and experiences.
During the session, the team presented an overview of Mehac’s work over the past few months, sharing both success stories and challenges. Activities undertaken by the organisation were discussed, including clinical services, awareness initiatives, advocacy efforts and research activities.
The Trustees shared valuable insights, feedback and encouragement, making it a meaningful and proud moment for the team to speak about their work and experiences.