Snehasadan (abode of love) has been a sanctuary for homeless children in Mumbai, offering them food, education, safety, and skills training to rebuild their lives.
For the last 60 years, Snehasadan (abode of love), a home for children without homes, has been a hope for children living on Mumbai’s streets.
Additionally, it provides food, education, safety, and skill-based training for them to build their lives and future.
Fr. Ricardo Francis, a Spanish Jesuit priest who lived and worked in Andheri, a northern suburb of Mumbai, western India, was shocked to know that so many children were living on the footpaths and at railway stations in the neighborhood.
Moved by their distressed situation, Fr. Francis established the first Snehasadan in 1962. Today, it has 12 houses. These are homes for women and children in distress, as well as two contact centers located at railway stations.
As an NGO, Snehasadan has several goals, such as locating and reuniting the families of homeless children, providing both formal and nonformal education, and offering professional courses. Its staff works with the community to identify the needy children and refer them to the Child Welfare Committee.
According to Fr. Welington Patil, director and trustee of Snehasadan, who joined the organization in 2021, the first Snehasadan home began with five children at Kaju Wadi in Andheri East.
Currently, there are 250 children aged six to 18 in 12 homes, including seven for boys and five for girls.
Some inmates lack family or parents. Others may have escaped from their homes for some reason.
Children between the ages of six and eighteen attend school. They participate in extracurricular activities.
They take part in yoga, educational excursions, slacklining, magic shows, and football. They also have opportunities to go to summer vacation camps.
Snehasadan continues its mission to provide holistic care and opportunities for children in vulnerable situations, even as they transition into adulthood.
According to the law, children must be in after-care homes as soon as they reach the age of 18, says Patil.
They need professional career guidance, supervision, and personal development, the priest said.
The center inspires children to pursue higher education, including taking part in the ‘Earn and Learn’ program.’ This initiative enables young adults to find part-time or full-time jobs, depending on their academic acumen while pursuing higher education.
This could potentially guide them to save their money, invest it for their future, and pave the way towards their financial independence.
When they reach the age of 22 or 23, they can leave Snehasadan to pursue their careers and settle elsewhere after marriage.
However, Snehasadan remains a home for them, who call their own.
Each Snehasadan is unique due to its management by deeply committed married couples who reside in the 12 homes and provide round-the-clock care for the children.
No one calls Snehasadan a shelter or a refuge. “We call it a home. And upon leaving it, they are always welcome here,” explains Fr. Patil.
Various Catholic nuns work and live with the children in several homes in Snehasadan.
According to Jesuit Father Frazer Mascarenhas, former principal of St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, Snehasadan has been doing commendable work helping and enabling children who face vulnerable situations.
With his years of experience as an educator and professional social worker, Mascarenhas is guiding children to build up their future better.
Every Snehasadan home upholds the founder’s vision by ensuring that children receive excellent care, education, skill development, and value.
