A mission to provide shelter, support for homeless children

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.

- Pooja Patel

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 Wellington 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.