Dark days and an uncertain future Warning: This story contains discussion of suicide, mental health and self-harm. Conflict at home was making Bazidbee increasingly distressed. It was affecting her schoolwork and her behaviour towards others. By participating in the ARTEMIS program, she learned how to manage her emotions and support others in a similar situation. Bazidbee, a tenth‑grade student living in an urban slum in Andhra Pradesh, Southern India, was struggling – she was quick‑tempered, dismissive of others, and often made fun of people without thinking about how deeply it might hurt them. At home, things were no easier. Her parents’ arguments about money would erupt into shouting and sometimes even violence. The constant noise, tension, and being trapped in the middle made it impossible for her to focus on her studies. There were days when she cried quietly, wishing she could stop the chaos. In her darkest moments, she even thought about taking tab

Family troubles leading to isolation Warning: This story contains discussion of suicide, mental health and self-harm. A difficult home life caused Sunaiyna to retreat from the world and stop looking after herself. Support from the ARTEMIS program for both Sunaiyna and her mother helped her to emerge from her depression. Sunaiyna dropped out of school after her father left home and her parents got divorced. Even though the house was always full of people, she felt like no one really saw her. She stayed silent, kept to herself, and refused to go anywhere. She also stopped eating properly. She wasn’t used to talking about her emotions and never shared anything with anyone. She cried a lot but was scared to tell anyone because she thought it would hurt them. Someone to talk to After Sunaiyna was enrolled in The George Institute’s ARTEMIS project (Adolescents’ Resilience and Treatment nEeds for Mental health in Indian Slums), a counsellor started visi