By Shalu Mehrotra for BIS Mumbai

On October 7, Prafulta Counselling & Psychological Services, Andheri, held the opening and naming ceremony of its formal centre in Subhashnagar, giving the project a name that beautifully captures its journey and its vision — Pehchan, Hunar aur Hosla.

 What began almost three and a half years ago as a small initiative in the Subhashnagar basti has now grown into a space built on trust, relationships and a sense of belonging.

 Over the past three and a half years, Prafulta has gradually built trust within the community. Today, women come together in groups, freely share their concerns, laugh together, learn new skills and find a space where they can simply be themselves.

 The occasion was graced by Fr Franco Pereira, Rector of Dominic Savio, Mr Govind from the Nagar Palika, who has extended tremendous support to Prafulta and the project, Fr Godfrey D’Sa, Director of Prafulta, Mr Shivanand, the sponsor of the programme, and Ms Shalu Mehrotra, Programme Coordinator.

 It was particularly meaningful to have Alisha, the first counsellor who began the work in the basti, present for the occasion. Maduratai, the Balwadi teacher, who has been an important support to the programme, was also present.

 The centre brings together a range of mental-health, counselling and skills-development initiatives. Ms Nirupama Rao, herself a psychotherapist, conducts handwork sessions for the women. These sessions provide an opportunity to learn skills that can also help them earn, while the process of handwork itself offers a sense of grounding and contributes to their emotional well-being.

 Ms Alice conducts counselling sessions for the women and girls on Thursdays. Ms Rekha, a social worker, has recently begun sessions for the boys on Saturdays. Dr Nishi, a psychiatrist, visits the centre once a month to provide psychiatric support and help with medication for those who require it.

 During the opening, the people involved in the project introduced their work, giving everyone a glimpse into the many dimensions of Pehchan, Hunar aur Hosla — counselling, mental-health care, social work, skills development and community building.

 The occasion was both meaningful and joyful, with the formal inauguration accompanied by plenty of laughter, warmth and celebration — reflecting the very spirit of the centre.

 From the first tentative steps of reaching out to the community three and a half years ago to having a formal centre today, this has been a journey of building trust and creating a space where people feel seen, valued and supported.

 And now, this journey has a name: Pehchan, Hunar aur Hosla — identity, skills and courage.