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Maher, a Pune-based NGO that has provided care and shelter for more than 5,000 children and 6,300 destitute people, will celebrate its silver jubilee (25 years) on February 2.
In 1997, social worker Sister Lucy Kurien founded Maher at Vadhu Budruk in Shirur tehsil of Pune district after she had reportedly witnessed a man burning to death his pregnant wife.
Through its 24 different outreach projects, including 700 village self-help groups and 63 interfaith homes, Maher now provides shelter to 986 children, 572 destitute women and 170 men in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Kerala, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Since its inception, it has provided care and shelter to more than 5,000 children, 5,900 women and 492 men.
“The staff of Maher has played a wonderful role. I admire their support and the spirit,” Sister Lucy said.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Maher came to the help of more than 6,000 poor families in its surroundings, providing them with rations and arranging isolation facilities for those in need.
Maher also provided cooked meals, snacks to migrant workers who were returning on foot to their native states from Pune and its surroundings after the lockdown was announced in March 2020. Nearly 6,000 cooked meals were distributed to the needy at various centres of Maher.
The organisation plans to mark its silver jubilee with celebrations adhering to Covid protocols at various locations on January 26, February 5, 11 and 12.