CARE • COMMUNITY • SELF-RELIANCE • DIGNITY • OPPORTUNITY • CARE • COMMUNITY • SELF-RELIANCE • DIGNITY • OPPORTUNITY •

who we are We’ve Been Creating Safe Homes
And Building New Beginnings At the heart of every woman, man and child is a longing for a place to call home — a place of safety, belonging and love.
At Maher, we are more than a shelter. We are a family and a community where people facing difficult circumstances can find care, dignity and support.

Through safe homes, education, healthcare, skills and opportunities for self-reliance, we walk alongside people as they rebuild their lives and look toward a brighter future. “The Spirit of Maher is to Love, to Give Joy, to Give Life.” Sr. Lucy Kurien
Founder & Director, Maher

Our Reach Care, measured
in lives changed. 0 People Impacted 0 Homes 0 States 0 Villages A growing network of care,
opportunity and new beginnings.


WHAT MAHER DOES

Care that creates

possibility.

 Maher walks alongside people as they rebuild their lives — with safe homes, education, healthcare, skills and opportunities for self-reliance. SKILLS & SELF-RELIANCE Creating pathways to greater independence. TRAINING & LIVELIHOODS Building practical skills that create
income, confidence and independence. Walking alongside communities through care and opportunity. COMMUNITY OUTREACH Creating spaces where people can connect and grow. COMMUNITY & BELONGING Explore Explore Explore Explore

WHAT WE DO

Creating opportunities that last beyond today.

Safe Spaces

Homes where women and children can live with dignity, security and the freedom to heal at their own pace.

Education

Learning that builds confidence — from a child’s first classroom to skills that open long-term opportunities.

Self-Reliance

Vocational training and livelihood support that help individuals shape their own independent futures.

Community Development 

Working alongside communities to create change that is shared, sustainable and locally rooted.

Awareness

Building awareness around dignity, rights and social wellbeing — in villages, schools and institutions.

Care & Support 

Practical and emotional support — counselling, healthcare and guidance — wherever it is needed most.

Explore Our Work →

A Story From Maher

Sometimes a new beginning starts with simply being welcomed.

Behind every door at Maher is a story of arrival — of someone who had run out of places to go, finding one place that would not turn them away. These stories are not about rescue. They are about what becomes possible when a person is finally safe.

Read the story 

Where we work Across communities across lives. From Maharashtra to Kerala, Jharkhand, Karnataka and beyond, Maher works alongside communities to create safe spaces, opportunity and self-reliance. EXPLORE OUR CENTRES → location_on location_on MAHARASHTRA Maher Headquarters Vadhu Budruk, Pune · Main centre & safe homes JHARKHAND Who this centre serves
 Women, children, men and elderly people in vulnerable situations The heart of Maher since 1997 — safe homes, childcare, education support and vocational training for women rebuilding their lives. Get involved with this region → Maher Jharkhand Jharkhand · Child care & education outreach Who this centre serves
 Women, children & vulnerable men Maher supports vulnerable people through safe accommodation, care, education and community-based support, with a focus on people facing social and mental-health challenges. Get involved with this region → location_on KARNATAKA Maher KARNATAKA location_on Kerala Maher Kerala Kerala · Community support unit Who this centre serves
 Destitute women and children and families A growing centre of care and community outreach, carried forward by local volunteers and well-wishers.
 Get involved with this region →
 Karnataka · Care & support centre Who this centre serves
 Children and women needing specialised care Maher’s work in Karnataka focuses on providing care, support and rehabilitation for vulnerable children and women, including those who need additional mental-health or developmental support. Get involved with this region → location_on Andhra Pradesh Maher ANDHRA PRADESH Krishnapuram· Homes for vulnerable men & women Who this centre serves
 Homeless, mentally and physically ill men, and destitute women Maher provides safe residential care in Krishnapuram ,Nellore for homeless and vulnerable men, including those living with mental or physical illness, alongside support for destitute women. Get involved with this region → location_on West Bengal Maher West Bengal Mayer Anchal Home · Kolkata Who this centre serves
 Destitute and vulnerable women, including elderly women Mayer Anchal provides a safe home for women who have been abandoned, are living without support, or are found in vulnerable circumstances. Residents receive shelter, food, medical care, counselling and help to reconnect with their families where possible. Get involved with this region → location_on Bihar
 Maher Bihar Bihar · Residential care & rehabilitation Who this centre serves
 Women living with mental-health and intellectual disabilities Safe residential care, rehabilitation and ongoing support for women needing specialised assistance. Get involved with this region → Available Centre

Get Involved

There are many ways to stand with Maher.

Support

Financial contributions that keep homes running, classrooms open and programmes growing.

Volunteer

Offer your time and skills — teaching, care, administration, events or professional expertise.

Partner

Corporate and institutional collaboration that creates change at a larger scale.

Visit

Experience Maher’s work directly — spend a day at one of our centres and meet the family.

Plan a Visit

Love is Our Religion

OUR IMPACT 

Achievements That Inspire Change

Received more than367 National and International Awards

Nari Shakti Puraskar

A National Recognition for Women’s Empowerment

 

On 8 March 2016, Sr. Lucy Kurien, founder of MAHER, received the Nari Shakti Puraskar 2015 from the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

This prestigious national honour recognised her contribution to women’s empowerment and celebrated MAHER’s commitment to supporting women and children facing difficult circumstances through care, shelter, dignity and opportunities for a better future.

Recipient: Sr. Lucy Kurien
Award Year: 2015 · Presented in 2016

[View Full Achievement →]

Business Impact Through Experience

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Sustainable World Development

Team Meeting

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love is our religion

“No matter who we are,

we walk together towards wholeness”

Jamnalal Bajaj award

Jamnalal Bajaj award 2021

His Holiness Pope Francis

Blessings from His Holiness Pope Francis

Nari Shakti

Received Nari Shakti Purskar 2015 by former honorable President of India

Vaneeta Women of the year

Received Women of the year award 2016

We are pleased to inform you that Maher has been granted special consultative status with the United Nations at Geneva. This is a special note of recognition.

Latest updates

Discover the latest stories, moments and milestones from Maher.

At MAHER, we believe love does not ask for conditions.Whether someone is mentally challenged, mentally disturbed, or perfectly healthy — they have the SAME right to love, dignity, respect and care.
This Diwali, Bring Home More Than Just a Lantern — Bring Home Hope! ✨This Diwali, light your home with a light made with love! Our brave women have made beautiful, handmade Diwali Akashkandils / Lanterns with their own hands. Each colour, each fold, each design carries their hope, their confidence, and their dream of a self-reliant life. When you buy one lantern from MAHER, you are not just buying a decoration. You are encouraging a mother to believe in her own skills. You are telling them — "Your hard work is beautiful and valuable."Let this festival of lights bring light to two homes — yours and theirs.Come, buy Diwali Lanterns from MAHER. Let’s celebrate a Diwali of Love, Dignity and Empowerment. Please Share to Support!#DiwaliAtMaher #MaherAshram #HandmadeWithLove #SupportWomen #DiwaliLantern #Akashkandil #FestivalOfLights #ShopForACause #Pune #SrLucyKurien 🥰
Didi Got World peace Ambassador award ✨ MAHER Celebrates a Proud Moment ✨ We are overjoyed to share that our beloved Sr. Lucy Kurien (Didi) has been honoured with the World Peace Ambassador Award for her lifelong Service to Humanity, Peace & Interfaith Harmony. This prestigious award was presented by the Freedom Foundation, Pune, India & Glorious Global Social Foundation, Pune. Our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to the Freedom Foundation and Glorious Global Social Foundation for this recognition and encouragement.
Celebrating Gandhi Jayanti at MAHER: Living Bapu's Values Every Day 🕊️🇮🇳 On 2nd October, we at MAHER didn't just remember Gandhiji, we lived his values. Bapu taught us that true strength lies not in power, but in love and truth. At MAHER, his ideals are our daily practice: 1. Ahimsa (Non-Violence) & Love: Our children from different religions live together as one family, sharing love and peace .2. Satya (Truth) & Simplicity: Children took a pledge to always speak the truth and live a simple, honest life. 3. Sarva Dharma Sambhava (Unity of All Religions): We held an interfaith prayer - "Ishwar Allah Tero Naam", because at MAHER, humanity is the only religion. 4. Swachhata (Cleanliness): Our children and mothers led a Swachhata Abhiyan in and around all our homes. Bapu said, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness." 5. Shramdaan (Dignity of Labour): Children made handmade charkhas, khadi crafts and posters spreading the message of self-reliance.Gandhiji once said - "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." At MAHER, our children are becoming that change. Happy Gandhi Jayanti to all! Let's keep Bapu alive in our actions. #GandhiJayanti #MahatmaGandhi #Bapu #Maher #ValuesOfGandhi #Peace #NonViolence #GandhiJayanti2026
Home Found After 19 Years! 🏡 We found Raju at a young age, he grew up at MAHER with faint memories of his village in Bihar. For 19 years, we never gave up hope searching. Last week, our team traced his family to a small village in Bihar. When Raju met his family after 19 long years, there were only tears of joy. With folded hands Raju said, "Thank you, MAHER, for giving me a home when I had none, and for finding my lost home again. "This is MAHER - Where hope never ends. ❤️🙏
Selu : Maher Shanti Niwas Secures Second Prize in BJYM Home Ganpati Decoration Competition In the Taluka-level Home Ganpati Decoration Competition organized by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Selu Taluka, the Ganpati decoration at Maher Shanti Niwas, Selu, Ghorad, won the second prize. The decoration was based on the theme of 'Cleanliness', organized to create public awareness about the 'Swachh Bharat, Sundar Bharat' campaign. The winners were honoured with a memento and a cash prize. The decoration has been widely appreciated in Selu and Ghorad, and all the staff members of Maher Shanti Niwas contributed to its success.
Proud Moments ..... Maher children participated in the Taluka-Level School Taekwondo Competition with great enthusiasm and demonstrated discipline, confidence, dedication, and sportsmanship. Furthermore, the children who won Gold Medals have been selected for the District-Level Taekwondo Competition. This achievement is a matter of great pride for Maher and reflects the children’s hard work, dedication, and commitment towards sports.
MAHER welcomed Bappa with love 🙏🌺 Today our homes were filled with joy as we welcomed Lord Ganesha at MAHER. our children, men & women made most of the decoration with their own hands — flowers from our garden, paper art, colours from their hearts. May Bappa remove all your obstacles, fulfil all your dreams, and fill your home with joy, peace and endless happiness. Ganpati Bappa Morya! ❤️✨#GaneshChaturthi #BappaAtMAHER #MAHER #LoveIsOurReligion
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CHECK OUT THE MAHER SHOP

Handmade products made in Maher production units. Purchase products  from the shop to support Mahers mission

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR DONORS

Your kindness gives hope, dignity and a brighter tomorrow.

ANNUAL REPORT

We have truly had our best year yet. As we look back at the last 12 months we are amazed at the incredible progress, projects and events that we have been blessed to be a part of. We are excited to share our latest report with you, we hope it will help give a glimpse of that work that our donors are supporting.

Progress Reports

Read stories of the progress we have made in the last 12 months. We think you will be amazed at what has happened here.

Financial Data

Transparency is important to us. Learn where our money comes from and how we use it to change lives here in India.

Call To Action

See how you can get involved and help us make a difference in the world. Volunteer, donate, fundraise or subscribe to make a change.

 

Change a life today

“As long as poverty, injustice & inequality persist, none of us can truly rest. It doesn’t take much to change a life, get in touch today and start making the difference.”