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Prafulta Marks 27 Years with Outreach to Marginalized Communities
Mumbai

Prafulta Marks 27 Years with Outreach to Marginalized Communities

10 September 2025
News written by: Shalu Mehrotra

Prafulta, Centre for Psychological Wellness, Andheri, celebrated its 27th anniversary on September 8, continuing a legacy of accessible mental health care founded in 1998 by Fr. Godfrey D’Sa SDB, counsellor, educationist, and compassionate pastor.

Established with the mission of making professional psychological services available to young people, Prafulta now serves lakhs of individuals each year through counselling, psychiatry, occupational therapy, remedial education, psychometric testing, and career guidance.

Beyond its mainstream services, Prafulta has become a beacon of support for marginalized communities in Mumbai’s bastis and rural villages. Weekly group sessions at Subhash Nagar Basti provide a safe space for women and adolescent girls to share their experiences, build resilience, and receive psychoeducation. Another innovative initiative, Macramé pe Charcha, blends therapy with handicraft, allowing women to weave while engaging in conversations around self-esteem, parenting, and relationships. The sale of handcrafted goods offers both income and empowerment.

In Aghai village, 90 km from Mumbai, Prafulta runs a weekly clinic in partnership with The Banyan (Chennai). Since 2021, nearly 50 patients each week have benefited from free psychiatric consultations, therapy, and medication, supported by psychoeducation and caregiver follow-ups.

Other outreach programmes include the annual Khabi Khushi Khabi Gham Mela for basti children, the Saathi Program supporting youth transitioning from orphanages, and the Smiling Schools Project with Project Mumbai, which fosters emotional literacy among municipal schoolchildren.

Marking this milestone, Prafulta expressed gratitude to God, its founder Fr. D’Sa, staff, partners, and supporters.

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