Bengaluru: The second annual conference on Homelessness and Collaborative Responses was organised by the 'Namma Kutumba – Dignity to the Homeless' collective – in Bengaluru on Saturday.
The collective is led by Project Smile Trust, Aaladamara Foundation (An initiative of The Banyan and Azim Premji Foundation), HBS Hospital and Thanal. The conference reflected on the existing interventions, gaps and future strategies to deliver physical and mental health and social care services for homeless persons.
Commending the initiative, Hrishikesh Parthasarathy, Chief Strategy Officer, Azim Premji Foundation, said the Homeless Programme has proved that the impact of a collaborative effort far exceeds those operating in silos.
Dr Rajani P, the deputy director of Mental Health, Govt of Karnataka, said the government is committed to meaningful public-private partnerships (PPPs). As an example, she cited the initiation of the Emergency Care and Recovery Centre with Aaladamara Foundation for homeless persons with mental health issues.
During the national conference, a status report on homlessness in Bengaluru, prepared by the Project Smile Trust, was released by bureaucrat Sara Fathima. The film 'Visible Invisible,' screened at the end of the conference, highlighted the realities of the homeless people through individual stories.
Founded in 2022, the Namma Kutumba collective has reached out to over 16,000 individuals through outreach, medical, psychiatric and long-term care. It has screened over 8,000 people, completed 1,465 rescues and completed 397 street medical camps.
The team has services available across Bengaluru City to help homeless persons. For further details, those interested may contact 8660856709.
Published 23 June 2024, 00:47 IST