Project identifies 901 women affected by suicide loss in Madurai villages

Madurai: A community mental health project has identified 901 women affected by suicide bereavement across three blocks in Madurai district, highlighting the psychological, social and economic challenges faced by survivors.The findings were released on Sunday during the annual welfare distribution ceremony of the SPEAK project, where minister for energy and law CTR Nirmal Kumar distributed welfare assistance to around 30 women.Implemented by the MS Chellamuthu Trust and Research Foundation (MSCTRF) with support from the Mariwala Health Initiative, Mumbai, the project covers 89 panchayats and 404 villages in Vadipatti, Alanganallur and Kottampatti blocks.Through village surveys and home visits, the project identified 901 women who had lost a family member to suicide, including 480 whose husbands had died by suicide. Among them, 273 were daily wage earners, while 468 were living alone with their children.The study found that many women struggled with grief, depression, anxiety and social stigma following the loss. It also highlighted financial hardship after the death of the family’s primary breadwinner, inadequate family support, difficulties in raising children alone, and concerns over their education and future.The SPEAK project provides psychosocial and online counselling, educational support for children, emergency medical assistance, help in accessing widow pensions and livelihood support.