Foundations

'Friends of Antara UK' was established in September 2001.

For more than 10 years Antara has welcomed volunteers from the UK, Germany and other countries to live and work in its Antaragram Centre. Their experiences revealed the need for its work especially in providing care for the poorest in India to whom other mental healthcare is unaffordable.

Witnessing the distress of families unable to access help for relatives affected by mental illness, and listening to the stories of long-term residents who often had no where else to go beyond Antara, the motivation to support the work of the organisation from the UK formed.

In September 2001, with individual histories of some 30 destitute men and women and other literature and photographic evidence of Antara’s work as a basis, Friends of Antara UK was established.

Progress

Since then Friends of Antara UK has worked to support patients in four key areas:

Financial Support

• Raised c.£60,000 to improve and develop new facilities or services including:
  - A new tube well water supply
  - Beds and mattresses for acute care wards
  - A new 32 bed ward for Children
  - A new outpatients department for children
  - A Safe Motherhood and Child Survival programme
  
• Created a fund to provide free treatment for children

Raising Awareness

• Given talks and presentations in schools, universities, national conferences and to the general public
  
• Published a newsletter and articles for magazines and newspapers.
  
• Published or sold creative writing and art work by Antara's patients.

Direct Support

• Sent over 40 volunteers to live and work with Antara including:
  - Graduate and under-graduate students of health, psychology or social work.
  - Mental Health workers
• Created a letter exchange for personal correspondence between patients and UK supporters.

Research and Cooperation

• Helped medical students to elective placements
• Organised research projects for undergraduate and graduate students of healthcare or psychology.
• Created links to UK mental health organisations.

 

 

Friends of Antara UK was registered as a charity on 4th Nov 2008. We continue to evolve, with the help of successive generations of volunteers to Antara and passionate individuals in the UK. Our commitee brings together a  diverse range of  individuals who share a common vision to tackle poverty and mental health.

If you want to join our efforts please see our 'Get Involved' pages or e-mail chair@friendsofantarauk.org