Sister Lucy Kurien is the founder and director of Maher, a community and interfaith organization for abused and destitute women and children, headquartered in Pune, India.[1]
Born in South India's Kerala province, Sister Lucy moved to Mumbai to access better education when she was twelve. The city's slums were her first introduction to the conditions of the poor. At the age of nineteen, she decided she wanted to become a nun and joined the Holy Cross order, which focused on teaching and nursing.[2]
However, she was inspired by Mother Teresa's work and felt called to be closer to the people she wanted to help, directly touching the lives of the poor. In 1989 she joined the HOPE organization, founded by Sr Noilline Pinto of the Holy Cross Convent to help abused women. In 1991, while still working at the Hope, she had an encounter that would inspire her life's work. A pregnant woman came to her asking for shelter from her alcoholic husband who she thought would beat her. Sister Lucy did not know where to send her since the convent did not take laypeople. She had to send her away but promised to help the following day. That evening, the woman's husband doused her in alcohol and set her on fire. Both the woman and baby died.[2]
Sister Lucy was absolutely devastated. For six years she struggled to come to terms with this heinous incident and how she couldn’t help. She realized that she had to do something for such women, and the result was the founding of Maher in 1997 in Pune, Maharashtra. She had to single-handedly start Maher as she did not receive backing from anyone. A friend, Fr. Francis D'Sa, helped her with advice and also helped her to find some donors to start a non-Christian organization. Maher is 100% secular. Since its inception, Maher has provided safe refuge and rehabilitation to women who were suffering from abuse, starvation, or neglect.
Founding of Maher
Sister Lucy established Maher to help destitute women regardless of caste, creed, or religion. It took almost seven years to get the needed support, but in 1997, the first Maher house opened in the small village of Vadhu Budruk, on the outskirts of Pune.
Currently Maher has 46 short-stay and long-stay homes in the Indian states of Jharkhand, Kerala, and Maharashtra. In total they house over 893 street children, more than 357 destitute women (including 126 mentally ill women picked from the roadside) and 82 aged/mentally ill destitute men.[3] In the short-term, Maher provides immediate shelter and interventions. In the long-term, the community focuses on upending India's systemic violence, exploitation, and segregation—of men and women, but also of rich and poor.[2] Maher has touched the lives of 85,000+ beneficiaries as of 2017.
Sister Lucy has had the opportunity to meet with Pope Francis, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former US President Bill Clinton on different occasions.
Interfaith Association for Service to Humanity and Nature
In February 2017, Sister Lucy Kurien founded the Interfaith Association for Service to Humanity and Nature in Pune, India.
"We respect and love all religions. We never put down anyone’s religion, or uphold one religion to the exclusion of others. What we want is to believe and respect interfaith religion, inclusive of all faith traditions. In our community spiritual practices, we invoke our prayers to the Divine, rather than invoking any particular name or form of God to the exclusion of others."
-Sister Lucy
As of October 2017, this new community has 220 members from 8 countries.
Honors
2018: Neerja Bhanot Award
2018: Jijabai Achievers Award
2017: Sri Sathya Sai Award for Human Excellence - 'Unity Of Religions'
^Mascarenhas, Anuradha (28 February 2013). "Maher away from home for abandoned mental patients". The Indian Express. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
^ abcHillstrom, Christa. "After This Indian Nun Witnessed a Woman's Murder, She Saved Thousands More from Domestic Violence". YES! Magazine. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
^"India's Sister Lucy Kurien: a life of self-less service - ucanews.com". ucanews.com. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
^"Nari Shakti awards for women achievers - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
External links
Maher Ashram
March 12, 2023
lucy, kurien, sister, founder, director, maher, community, interfaith, organization, abused, destitute, women, children, headquartered, pune, india, sister, sister, left, born, 1956, june, 1956, kolayad, kannur, keralanationalityindianoccupation, social, worke. Sister Lucy Kurien is the founder and director of Maher a community and interfaith organization for abused and destitute women and children headquartered in Pune India 1 Sister Lucy KurienSister Lucy Kurien left Born 1956 06 01 1 June 1956 age 66 Kolayad Kannur KeralaNationalityIndianOccupation s Social Worker Women s rights activist Catholic NunKnown forFounder of Maher NGO Founder of Interfaith Association for Service to Humanity and NatureParent s Vacachalil Kurien father Maria Kutty mother AwardsNari Shakti PuraskarPaul Harris Fellow Rotary InternationalVanitha Woman of the Year 2016Global Women s Leadership Award 2011 Contents 1 Life 2 Founding of Maher 3 Interfaith Association for Service to Humanity and Nature 4 Honors 5 References 6 External linksLife EditBorn in South India s Kerala province Sister Lucy moved to Mumbai to access better education when she was twelve The city s slums were her first introduction to the conditions of the poor At the age of nineteen she decided she wanted to become a nun and joined the Holy Cross order which focused on teaching and nursing 2 However she was inspired by Mother Teresa s work and felt called to be closer to the people she wanted to help directly touching the lives of the poor In 1989 she joined the HOPE organization founded by Sr Noilline Pinto of the Holy Cross Convent to help abused women In 1991 while still working at the Hope she had an encounter that would inspire her life s work A pregnant woman came to her asking for shelter from her alcoholic husband who she thought would beat her Sister Lucy did not know where to send her since the convent did not take laypeople She had to send her away but promised to help the following day That evening the woman s husband doused her in alcohol and set her on fire Both the woman and baby died 2 Sister Lucy was absolutely devastated For six years she struggled to come to terms with this heinous incident and how she couldn t help She realized that she had to do something for such women and the result was the founding of Maher in 1997 in Pune Maharashtra She had to single handedly start Maher as she did not receive backing from anyone A friend Fr Francis D Sa helped her with advice and also helped her to find some donors to start a non Christian organization Maher is 100 secular Since its inception Maher has provided safe refuge and rehabilitation to women who were suffering from abuse starvation or neglect Founding of Maher EditSister Lucy established Maher to help destitute women regardless of caste creed or religion It took almost seven years to get the needed support but in 1997 the first Maher house opened in the small village of Vadhu Budruk on the outskirts of Pune Currently Maher has 46 short stay and long stay homes in the Indian states of Jharkhand Kerala and Maharashtra In total they house over 893 street children more than 357 destitute women including 126 mentally ill women picked from the roadside and 82 aged mentally ill destitute men 3 In the short term Maher provides immediate shelter and interventions In the long term the community focuses on upending India s systemic violence exploitation and segregation of men and women but also of rich and poor 2 Maher has touched the lives of 85 000 beneficiaries as of 2017 In recognition of her services Indian President Pranab Mukherjee awarded Sister Lucy Kurien with the Nari Shakti women empowerment award on 8 March 2016 in New Delhi 4 Other prominent awards include the DCCIA Award for Excellence in Social Service 2010 Global Women s Leadership Award 2011 the Paul Harris Fellow and the Vanitha Woman of the Year Award Maher and Sister Lucy have featured several times on Indian television including the popular show Satyamev Jayate hosted by actor Aamir Khan and also on Vatican Radio In 2015 Sister Lucy was invited to attend the Clinton Global Initiative In May 2017 Maher was granted a special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council UN ECOSOC Sr Lucy with Pope Francis Sister Lucy has had the opportunity to meet with Pope Francis Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former US President Bill Clinton on different occasions Interfaith Association for Service to Humanity and Nature EditIn February 2017 Sister Lucy Kurien founded the Interfaith Association for Service to Humanity and Nature in Pune India We respect and love all religions We never put down anyone s religion or uphold one religion to the exclusion of others What we want is to believe and respect interfaith religion inclusive of all faith traditions In our community spiritual practices we invoke our prayers to the Divine rather than invoking any particular name or form of God to the exclusion of others Sister LucyAs of October 2017 this new community has 220 members from 8 countries Honors Edit2018 Neerja Bhanot Award 2018 Jijabai Achievers Award 2017 Sri Sathya Sai Award for Human Excellence Unity Of Religions 2016 Nari Shakti award 2016 Vanitha Woman of the Year 2011 Leadership Award Global Women s Summits Paul Harris Fellow Rotary InternationalReferences Edit Mascarenhas Anuradha 28 February 2013 Maher away from home for abandoned mental patients The Indian Express Retrieved 11 August 2019 a b c Hillstrom Christa After This Indian Nun Witnessed a Woman s Murder She Saved Thousands More from Domestic Violence YES Magazine Retrieved 29 January 2017 India s Sister Lucy Kurien a life of self less service ucanews com ucanews com Retrieved 29 January 2017 Nari Shakti awards for women achievers Times of India The Times of India Retrieved 29 January 2017 External links EditMaher Ashram Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lucy Kurien amp oldid 1128951943, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
