No One But Ashokbhai Understands Their Pain, Help Him Rescue Many More Mentally Challenged Women

Ashokbhai Jain is a man of strong willpower and doesn’t shy away from difficult challenges. He says this is how he finds the purpose of his life. For the last six years, he has been uplifting hundreds of homeless and abandoned mentally challenged women. He treats them as family and does everything he can to fill their lives with happiness.

“I have rescued these women from horrible conditions. Some of them have been sitting at one place on the streets with their whole body covered in maggot wounds while some others have been forced to live off rotten food from the garbage dumps. Matted hair, dressed in rags, and smelling awful -  everyone around avoids them. While so many see them suffering, no one wants to lend them a helping hand,” - Ashokbhai Jain, Founder, Jay Ambe Mand Buddhi Trust.  

This man has saved more than 500 women in the last six years - he wants to do so much more 

Ashok has always been a kind-hearted person who wanted to help the poor and homeless. With a small team of volunteers, he would roam the streets of Bayad, Gujarat, and feed all the hungry. They would give them a bath, shave their beards, give them new clothes, and promise to come back in a few days. But a few years ago, someone contacted Ashok to help him find his mentally challenged sister who was missing for over a month. 

“We searched far and wide and found her but her condition was severe. She fled again after a few days and this time, we could do nothing. I kept thinking about her, fearing the worst. ‘What if, she met with an accident, what if someone abused her…’ - but unfortunately I was helpless. That day I felt like I had lost my own sister. That’s when I decided to start this shelter home for abandoned and mentally challenged women who have no one.” 

It started with just 3 residents but is now home to 210 women who receive all the love and care they deserve. They’re given nutritious meals and proper medicines. Skilled staff look after them throughout the day and ensure that they don’t end up suffering ever again. They have reunited 300 such women with their families spread across Assam, Jharkhand, Kerala, and many other states of India. 

“Once we rescued a girl who was very violent. Her family members had chained her and kept her in a shed outside the house. My heart broke when I saw her in that condition. She started receiving psychiatric treatment instantly and slowly she started to trust. You will be surprised to see what one can achieve with love and little patience.”  

These women have seen the worst, donate to help them 

The daily expenses of the shelter home are somewhere around 18-20 lakhs with most of the donations being spent on medicines. Ashok also doesn’t compromise on the quality of food that he serves and ensures each one of the residents eats to their full satisfaction. But with every passing day, it is becoming more and more difficult for him to continue running this place. He needs help with groceries, hygiene products, and medicines. 

“If we don’t help these women, no one will. They deserve a life of respect but they end up by the roadside, tortured and abused. Please help me change their lives.” 

About the NGO: Founded by Ashokbhai Jain in September 2017, Jay Ambe Mand Buddhi Trust is home to 210 abandoned and homeless women who are suffering from mental illnesses. He has been associated with this work for the last six years and has rescued more than 500 women in need. The only shelter of its kind in North Gujarat, this organisation is a ray of hope for all those who have no one to look after themselves.