“Thanal”, is a centre for befriending persons in distress and in danger of suicide was instituted by Indian Medical Association, Kozhikode Branch in the year 2001. Thanal is functioning at Kozhikode city trained to identify persons with suicidal tendencies and be of help to them.
⦿ To ensure that volunteers are available at any hour of the day or night to offer emotional support to those passing through personal crisis and in imminent danger of taking their own lives.
⦿ To conduct training programs for social workers, teachers, religious personnel, N.S.S. volunteers, health workers, etc. to intervene in the lives of suicide-prone persons.
⦿ To undertake research projects on suicide in Kerala and to develop models for effective intervention strategies.
⦿ To make available expertise to start suicide prevention programs in other parts of the state.
Any person going through a period of personal crisis and wants to share his feelings to someone in strict confidence is welcome to utilize services of the befriending centre. Persons going through crisis due to a variety of reasons such as death, terminal illness, loneliness, marital discord, financial problems, employment problems, depression, and educational backwardness, and hence harboring suicidal thoughts and wanting to unburden him/her to an understanding person may call to or visit Thanal.
He/she will find someone waiting for him. Our services are free. He/she may walk into Thanal without prior appointment and find in the waiting volunteer a trustworthy friend who will listen to him/her without being judgmental. He/she can contact Thanal by telephone as well (Number-0495- 2725555). Alternately, he/she can communicate by letters. He/she is sure to receive a prompt reply..
Callers to Thanal are assured of complete confidentiality about what they share with the befriender. The volunteers will not divulge the problem to any one outside the centre, or even to their spouse or children. To the caller, the befriender will be identified by his first name. Their personal details will not be disclosed. The caller in turn is not required to reveal his/her personal details.
A team consisting of senior members of Befrienders India has carefully selected the volunteers. They are trained adequately to undertake this mission. It should be mentioned here that listening to another person particularly to one in distress is by no means an easy task. The volunteers from Maithri (Kochi & Thrissur) and Sneha (Madras) have provided the expert training for the volunteers. Persons committed to the cause of a healthy society, who have the capacity to listen without being judgmental and having the time to spare four hours in a week can become the volunteers of Thanal. Persons of either sex, of any age, of any cast can come forward. There will be selection for the volunteers once in every six months.