Mariasadanam is a registered NGO in Palai, Kerala that rescues, provides treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration of homeless people with mental illness. The Mariasadanam Rehabilitation Centre started on March 14, 1998 as a humanitarian initiative of Santhosh Joseph with the intake of Thomas, a mentally insane destitute who was wandering in Palai town. The first resident was accommodated with the family of Santhosh. With the increase in number of residents given care at home, he re-modelled an abandoned cowshed for accommodating the growing number of destitute mentally ill people from the streets. These are people who became sick by birth, some who failed to cope up with the complex and highly competitive modern society and many who were thrown into the back yards of life by their own kith and kin. When our streets are being filled with so many of such persons, the conscientious and tender-hearted people feel the distress in their heart. Mariasadanam gives more importance to LOVE and CARE and the care givers in Mariasadanam believe that in the case of mental illness, more than medications it is love and care and a family atmosphere which play a major role in bringing the patients back to normalcy. The chief functionary, Santhosh, his spouse & their 5 children reside with the inmates as one big family. Santhosh's wife Mini handles the responsibility of Female patients in the home. The Home is open to patients irrespective of religion and inmates are allowed to follow religious practice of their choice.