With guidance from GASVS and community mental health support, Abhay Wasnik overcame adversity, rebuilt his life and businesses, and inspired his village through resilience, recovery, and renewed hope.
Abhay Wasnik, a 28-year-old resident of Nandudhana forest village in Sausar block, stands as a symbol of resilience and determination. Living 25 kilometers away from Sausar, Abhay is not only a graduate but also runs a successful grocery store and a small poultry business. His family includes his supportive parents and a younger sister, who is currently studying in the 11th grade. Despite their current standing, life was not always so stable for the Wasnik family.
Back in 2014, Abhay’s father became severely ill, forcing his mother, Mrs. Asha Wasnik, to take on work as a laborer in order to keep the family afloat. The pressure of these hardships weighed heavily on Abhay, and following a high fever that year, he began to experience psychological symptoms such as fear, loneliness, insomnia, and auditory hallucinations. These difficult times pushed the family to the brink.
That same year, the GASVS organization, supported by NRTT, rolled out the Sanjeevani Community Mental Health Program in 33 villages across Sausar block. Abhay’s condition was identified by a field worker from the program, prompting a series of counselling visits and a coordinated effort to get proper treatment for both Abhay and his father at the Community Health Centre in Sausar. This intervention became the turning point for the Wasnik family.
With regular follow-ups, dedicated care, and encouragement from the field workers and the CMHP team, both Abhay and his father began to recover. While his father’s health improved in 2015, Abhay’s path required ongoing attention. Thanks to his commitment and the continuing support of experts, he was able to stick to his treatment plan. By 2017, Abhay’s psychiatrist approved discontinuation of his medication as his condition stabilized.
The end of his treatment was truly the beginning of a new chapter. Abhay returned to his studies and completed his graduation from Government College in Sausar in 2020. Recognizing his potential, GASVS provided him with a ₹10,000 grant in October 2017 to start a grocery business. Transport and connectivity issues in the village didn’t stop him. Abhay’s shop soon flourished and, encouraged by his early success, he expanded by launching a small poultry business in 2018. Presently, Abhay manages both these ventures with the active involvement of his father, generating a stable monthly income of approximately ₹15,000.
The positive shift for the family didn’t stop at business success. In 2022, Abhay’s mother, Mrs. Asha Wasnik, was elected Sarpanch of Amla Gram Panchayat, initiating several development projects in the village and earning widespread respect for her leadership. The Wasnik family’s journey reflects not just Abhay’s triumph over adversity, but also the evolving prosperity and dignity of the entire household.
Abhay’s story is a powerful testament to the impact of collective and community-driven mental health support. The timely intervention by GASVS not only enabled his recovery but also empowered him to uplift his family’s socio-economic standing. Their journey proves that with access to the right mental health services and community backing, success and recovery are always possible—even in the face of adversity.
