Several moons ago, a Spanish priest walked the streets of Andheri and was deeply troubled by the number of children living on the footpaths and at railway stations in the neighbourhood. Moved by their plight and determined to help, Fr Ricardo Francis founded Snehasadan in 1962—a home for children without homes.

“The home of Snehasadan was started at Kaju Wadi in Andheri East with just five children. Today, we have 12 homes housing 250 kids aged six to 18,” shares Fr Welington Patil, director and trustee of Snehasadan, who joined the organisation in 2021. 

Of the 12 homes, seven are for boys and five are for girls. These are children without families or parents, while some may have run away from their homes for various reasons.

“Children aged six to 18 years are enrolled in schools and participate in extracurricular activities. Yoga, educational excursions, slacklining, magic shows, football, etc are taught to the kids; and they are also taken on Diwali and summer vacation camps,” Fr Patil shares.

Fr Patil adds that as per the law, once the children turn 18, they must move to after-care homes. “Once they are 18, that’s when they really need help, so we provide it. We encourage them to pursue higher education, with an emphasis on the ‘Earn and Learn’ programme,” he explains. Through this initiative, the young adults of Snehasadan enrol in higher education and are encouraged to find part-time or full-time jobs, depending on their academic inclination.

“This helps them save money for themselves, and we teach them to invest it so they can become financially independent. Most leave the homes around the age of 22 or 23, but if they decide to marry in the future, Snehasadan helps them with that too. The idea behind Snehasadan is to provide a place these children can always call their own.”

What makes these homes truly special are the house parents—dedicated married couples who live in the 12 homes and care for the children round the clock. “We never call Snehasadan a shelter or an ashram; we always call it a home. Therefore, even after leaving, these children are always welcome,” says Fr Patil.

Dr Frazer Mascarenhas SJ, former principal of St Xavier's College who has known of Snehasadan’s noble work for five decades says that the organisation has contributed to the society  significantly. “Children are the most vulnerable in our society, and providing them shelter and enabling them to build a better life is commendable. Fr Patil is well-trained in social work, and his new ideas are further helping the children, especially with teens,” he says.