Key aspects of the project included:

• Training WORD staff on the carers’ issue and developing their knowledge on mental illness and epilepsy
• Registering a Carers Association in the project region
• Improving access to health care and treatment for persons living with mental illness and epilepsy through mental health camps
• Promoting lasting collaboration between carers and local health authorities
• Find ways to support carers and their families financially

The project documented the day-to-day lives of carers in the form of a short film, which was then used to promote awareness of the realities, challenges and impacts of caring for a family member.

Community leaders, health professionals and government officials engaged in a series of events at which they viewed and discussed the film. After the discussions, those persons were invited to take action for the carers in their local area and to pledge to support and promote their cause.

At the beginning of this project, extensive data was gathered to ensure that we had an in-depth understanding of the issues and challenges that carers and their families faced. The results of this data have been published in a baseline study report. This data-gathering exercise enabled us to build beneficiary-led programmes that met the specific needs of the carers involved in the project.

A key aspect of the project was building the capacity of our three partner organisations so that they could effectively promote the inclusion of carers into mainstream programmes and create carer-specific services.

Key achievements of this project include:

• 171 carers support groups were formed and federated into 3 district level Carers Associations
• 289 carers received short respite breaks
• 481 carers received direct support to establish livelihood activities that can co-exist alongside their caring responsibilities
• 546 carers were linked to government and local NGO livelihood and insurance schemes
• 4 Community Caring Centres were established to provide daily care for 40 severely disabled children, enabling their mothers to have time to earn an income
• 636 carers received counselling support
• Carers Day was celebrated in India for the first time ever

In each project location, a Community Caring Centre was also established to provide quality care for children with disabilities, enabling carers to pursue their chosen livelihood.

The project gave carers, who were previously unable to work because of their caring responsibilities, the opportunity to identify a suitable income-generating activity and pursue it. By the end of the project carers’ incomes had increased significantly, bringing many families above the poverty line for the first time. In addition, carers’ self-esteem increased as a result of engaging regularly in a livelihood and this led to them receiving greater recognition from their community.

The lives of the children they care for were also enhanced due to the establishment of Community Caring Centres, which gave them the opportunity to interact outside of the home, socialise, learn new skills, and receive regular educational and therapeutic input.