The Congregation of Missionary Sisters of the Queen of the Apostles (SRA) run WIN Home in Vakola Village for women in distress. These include victims of domestic violence, battered women, unwed mothers, runaway girls, abandoned children, etc. Various NGOs who pick up these women get in touch with WIN Home to provide them with temporary or emergency relief. They have provisions to provide for stay, food and the victims are also provided with training for jobs or arrangements are made to send them back to their relatives. Inspired by Jesus’ compassion for the crowds, the sisters aim to promote, uphold and protect the dignity of every woman.

WIN Home opened its doors on 19 March 2003 in premises which was the ancestral home of Msgrs. Nereus and Hillary Rodrigues who donated it to St. Anthony’s Church for charity. In the last almost two decades, hundreds of troubled girls, women and children have benefited from their services. The SRA sisters run a dispensary and counselling center as many of these women need nursing, medical care and also face mental health issues. Among the team at WIN Home are included Sr. Luduvica D’cunha, Sr. Jean Athikalam, Sr. Joshna Vasaikar and Sr. Roshan with helpers. Apart from running WIN Home, the SRA nuns also assist in the Prison Ministry of India (Mumbai) serving at the Children’s Home at Dongri in South Mumbai. The children are provided with basic education, trained in skills and prepared to be productive citizens.

In St. Anthony’s parish, poor and destitute who approach the church are cared for and supported. After the victims are also rehabilitated and visits paid to their homes or admissions got in government hospitals, if need be. The neighbouring community is also involved in the process so that the victims find a support system after the nuns leave. Among the other activities undertaken by the SRA nun are facilitating Small Christian Communities (SCC), liasoning with the police and hospital authorities, animating for Sunday School and Confirmation students and assisting in miscellaneous activities as requested for by the parish.

SRA Vision
Our vision is Christ centered – of an integrated human society, living in love, freedom, justice, peace and in harmony with creation

SRA Mission
Our mission is to witness and to proclaim the compassionate love of God to all; especially the women, the marginalized, the vulnerable people in the society; Empowering them to create a new world order

SRA Aims & Objects

– To provide temporary shelter, food and clothing to women in need.
– To arrange for specific clinical, legal and other support for women / girls in need of intervention by linking and networking with other organizations in both Government and Non-Government.
– To provide emotional support and counselling.
– Empower them with tools to fulfill the long term objectives.
– To rehabilitate them socially and economically through education, awareness, skill upgradation and Personal Development Training, etc.

The various problems of the women:
– Women who have been tortured, persecuted and abandoned by their families due to disorientation in their families.
– Domestic violence due to dowry related reasons – Financial exploitation
– Sexual abuse and harassment by their employers – Child Marriage or forced marriages, gender discrimination birth of children, failure in motherhood and suspicious nature of spouses – Premarital pregnancies due to illegal relationships
– Contract HIV / STD due to multiple relationships of their spouses
– The elderly have become another burden to nuclear families that do not accept them with their limitations

Thus the women / girls, who have been tortured, persecuted and abandoned by their families, need the intervention of special attention. While there are services for counseling and rehabilitation available in the city, a dire need was felt for a temporary shelter wherein any women in need or distress can access shelter, unconditional love, understanding, care, concern and guidance from WIN Home. We provide various services for counseling, medical facility, legal aid, accommodation and rehabilitation of these women.

Initially, the intervention by WIN Home was to provide instant shelter, counseling, medical and legal aid services. But the experiences and changing need of the situation made us to realize the necessity to help them grow fully in their lives with self sufficiency and determination for a better life and future. Hence, we started providing them yoga, meditation, psychological help, exposure visits, vocational training and direct dialogue with their families.

The main purpose of these services is to increase their awareness level, enhance their existing skills, and assist them to handle, solve and overcome their problems. Gradually many more women have approached WIN Home with a variety of problems and we realized that all cases are different and unique.

Our Sisters and social workers are working closely with them towards their rehabilitation and have regular follow ups with them after they have returned to their families and homes. We are happy to share with you that members of the families that have been rehabilitated by us have expressed their gratitude and appreciation for our timely intervention and sheltering their women; thus saving their families.

Click Here for First 5 Years of WIN Home Cases (PDF)

I have compassion on the plight of the poor, the Indian women and children and we bring to them the living and life-giving bread of the soul in the Word and the Sacred Host.
– Fr. Antonius Maria Bodewig, SRA Founder

The Congregation of Missionary Sisters of the Queen of the Apostles (SRA)
Win Home, House No 69, Vakola Village, Santacruz East, Mumbai
400 055.
Contact: 8104812954