From navigating mental health in war times to making sexual pleasure accessible—here are the top social stories of the week
In our Catalysts of Hope series, we bring you uplifting, inspiring, and impactful stories of change.
War and mental health
“Why people are hurting each other,” little Thomas asks every day after he catches a glimpse of the Israel-Gaza war online. Many people like Thomas have been engulfed with news footage from the war, which is leaving people angry, anxious, depressed, and helpless.
Since the armed conflict broke out on October 7, many people have been killed.
Studies show that news about war can cause anxiety and stress, and there’s a possibility that graphic coverage of these events can result in viewers experiencing trauma. Moreover, research also shows that during global crises, social media becomes a breeding ground for misinformation.
In times of overwhelming news, mental health experts advise stepping back, assessing personal influence, and consciously engaging. Aarti Madhusudan suggests understanding motivations for action, leading to hope and agency. Ranjitha Jeurkar organizes online 'listening circles' to counter hopelessness, fostering unity. Educating oneself, checking information, and participating in positive actions contribute to improved mental health amid global conflicts.
Read more about the ways to navigate mental health in such times, here!
From facing challenges in marrying the boy she chose to starting her company, Reshamdevi Mallick’s journey is nothing short of inspiring.
After facing resistance from the boy's family, the couple relocated to Daringbadi village in Odisha's Kandhamal district. The woman secured a supervisor job at PREM NGO, while her husband began working as a tourist driver. She went for a one-month training at PREM’s research station in Kerala, after which she decided to start a company associated with farmers. The duo then sold their vehicle and started Greenflag Farmer Producer Company Limited (GFPCL) in 2021. Starting with 10 farmers and 15 agricultural products, now the company works with 100 farmers and deals with over 70 products.
While starting her journey as a sex educator in classrooms, Tanisha RK realised that as an educator working with minors, a lot of people were involved and much of the educational material was heavily censored. RK then decided to start an Instagram page with her partners–Shweta Sangtani and Aashish Mehrotra, which has now garnered over 30k followers.
Once the trio realised that people wanted to talk about sex and sexuality, the Sangya Project came into being.
Started in 2021, the startup offers a range of products which include locally manufactured vibrators, supplements, plugs, strap-ons, kink wear and more. These products come for beginner, moderate and advanced levels.
The brand has 42 SKUs including combo offers. The price of the kink wear starts from Rs 650 and the lowest cost of the vibrator is Rs 2,999. The brand recently launched The Repleasure Project, wherein it collects electronic adult toys from people in exchange for vouchers. The brand received seed funding last year from IMBesharam, an adult toy store.
Meanwhile, in other news….
Age is just a number
We all have heard that one is never too old for learning new things and Raavi Srinivasa Rao, a 53-year-old man, has proved it.
Native of Bodduvaripalem village near Ongole in Prakasam district, Rao has completed 792 online educational courses since 2020, earning certificates from esteemed institutions such as Cambridge Digital University, Stanford University, World Health Organisation (WHO), and MIT, among others.
Additionally, he achieved a doctorate from Cambridge Digital University for his thesis on 'Digital Description in the Healthcare Industry,’ The Indian Express reported.
“I will prove that nothing is impossible for humans if they dedicate their time and energy to what they dream for,” Rao said.