The grief helpline which began as a response to COVID-19 on May 21st came to an end on 23rd December. A closing ceremony was held at the Centre to celebrate the efforts of everyone involved in this initiative. Our co- dean Dr. Ravikanth gave a welcome speech, followed by the outline of the program given by Ms. Rao (Lead, CTSI) and a vote of thanks by Mrs. Sankaran (HOD, Psychology department). Our volunteers joined the event to share their experiences and learnings with us. The initiative was supported by the National Health Mission (NHM), Tamil Nadu and Dr. Darez Ahmed from the NHM graced us with his presence in the meeting.
The volunteers constituted the very lifeline of the helpline, and they attended the event in overwhelming numbers to share their experiences and learnings. They expressed satisfaction, growth combined with a unique experience of being part of this initiative. The BALM staff conducted rigorous training and debrief sessions with the volunteers to build their skillset and enable them to support the community.
The pandemic was a difficult time for the world at large, and this was a small initiative by CTSI and Govt of Tamil Nadu National Health Mission to provide relief to the people.04:40 PM