For those at Sanjivini ‘people matter’. That is why this voluntary organization has been helping those in need since 1976.

What do you do when faced with an emotional problem? When you feel depressed, worried, confused or trapped? What do you do when life becomes unbearable? When you feel empty and find yourself in a situation from where suicide seems the only way out?

It may not be an overstatement to say that the business of living and growing up is another name for encountering and overcoming life’s problems. These problems can be either physical or emotional. One usually muddles and stumbles through life either evading or turning a Nelson’s eye to the problem or even undermining or overeating to any problem. At times one does manage to look at the problems squarely. However, this does not ensure that the problem will disappear. So how does one get rid of the problems? What should one do when confronted with complex issues?

It could help to talk to someone. It often does. But who should one talk to? At times even talking to near and dear ones can be frustrating because they are not able to understand you fully. Sometime they do not give undivided attention, and at times, they are prejudiced, patronizing and even judgmental. Because of their own bias, they fail to understand your suffering and start preaching or become critical.

For those who have unsuccessfully grappled to solve various complex and not so complex problems ‘Sanjivini’ comes as a boon. Sanjivini is a registered non-profit voluntary organization whose primary concern is to help people, suffering from emotional problems. The help that Sanjivini gives is free and confidential.

One of the primary objectives of Sanjivini is to make people aware that having problems is an integral part of the process of living and it is natural to seek help when it becomes too difficult to struggle alone. Not only is it important to recognize that one has a problem, but it is also necessary to accept the fact that there is no stigma attached it.

Sanjivini operates on the dictum that it always better to talk about your problems with people who understand, who are concerned about your problem and who can help you.

Ever since its inception in 1976, Sanjivini has maintained that, there are no ready-made answers to many problems because they involve people other than the one who is disturbed. Taking a very logical view Sanjivini helps in understanding the real nature of the problem and helps to cope with the problem as per the person’s capabilities.

Over a number of years many persons have sought Sanjivini’s help in various areas including inter-personal problems, personality, mental illness and drug related problems.

Sanjivini runs two crisis intervention units in Delhi-one under the Defence Colony flyover (Phone 611918) and the other in the Institutional area, South of IIT (Phone 6862222). At both centers, trained volunteers are available to listen to anyone with a problem.

Problems range from inter-personal relationship, loneliness, inadequacy, depression, chemical dependency to mental illness.

People also come to Sanjivini for psychiatric consultation, legal aid or temporary. Over a period of years, Sanjivini has developed a referral network, which people refer to extensively. Six years back, it published a unique referral directory on mental health.

Sanjivini has to date helped more than 7000 people all over India through both individual and postal counseling.

To whom does the credit for this stupendous success go? Sanjivini is a voluntary organization and it derives strength from voluntary agencies.

However more than anything else, Sanjivini depends upon its band of carefully selected and trained volunteers to run all its services. To date more than 250 volunteers have been trained by Sanjivini and more than 50 of them are actively involved in its various concerns. Sanjivini is not meant only for people who have a problem. Even an ordinary person can offer time to help. ‘Life is meant to be lived for others and not for yourself’. Sanjivini has been fulfilling this motto since 1976, because ‘people matter’ to those at Sanjivini.