Kochi: Sr Lucy Kurian cannot remember the number of women and children she has taken under her wings but she can never forget the woman who started it all.
The nun, who was picked by Vanitha as the ‘Woman of the Year’ for her social services, was an inmate of the Holy Cross Sisters convent in Maharashtra when a pregnant woman fleeing her abusive husband sought shelter in the convent. Unfortunately, the nuns had to send her back. That night the seven-month pregnant woman was set on fire by her husband. Neither the woman nor the unborn child could be saved.
In 1997, Sr Lucy Kurian started ‘Maher’ in Pune to take in destitute women and children, a service recognized by Vanitha while selecting her for the annual award that consisted of Rs 1 lakh and a trophy.
Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Nirupama Rao, who handed over the award to Sr Lucy Kurian in Kochi, said democracy becomes complete only when women obtain equality of opportunity. There was a lot of talk regarding development but very few people talked about sympathy. People like Sr Lucy Kurian were a rarity, Rao said.
The Indian concept of women fused sacrifice and equitable thinking. Women are capable of solving problems without hurting anyone, Rao said.
St Lucy said she was inclined to help others right from her childhood even though her father was an ordinary farmer. She witnessed the miserable conditions of Mumbai’s slums when she lived in the city doing odd jobs. The tragedy of the pregnant woman sealed her trajectory.
She left the convent with the permission of the Church. A Hungarian national helped her buy an acre of land in a remote village for Rs 1 lakh. The first ‘Abhaya’ center was followed up by 41 houses including one at Mulanthuruthy near Kochi.
The Pune-based organization started by Sr Lucy Kurian has helped about 2,000 children go to school and find jobs. Many of them have even found employment abroad.
Sr Lucy Kurian says Maher is going from crisis to crisis but the community members are able to find their daily bread.
General Education Secretary Muhammed Hanish said the trio of love, sympathy and fraternity was the only shortcut to overcoming challenges. Malayala Manorama assistant editor Harsha Maathew and Vanitha editor in charge M Madhuchandran also spoke.