Mathew Kurian is the Co-founder of El Shaddai Charitable Trust, an NGO based in Goa.
India is a land of contrasts, where immense wealth coexists with deep-rooted poverty in often striking ways. The sight of children in tattered clothes, living on the streets in unsanitary conditions, is tragically more common than it should be. These little ones are highly vulnerable. They face disease, malnutrition, exploitation, and the constant threat of child trafficking and abuse.
At El Shaddai Charitable Trust, we envision a world where every child has a childhood; where the most vulnerable among us are safe, cherished, and given the opportunity to thrive. Founded in 1997, we are a registered, non-profit, non-sectarian, and non-religious organisation committed to creating secure and hopeful futures for underprivileged children. We implement the Child Rights Act 2003/05 to safeguard street children, orphans, and those from broken families across Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
Some of these children are orphans; others have parents who leave home before sunrise and return long after dark. With what little they earn, survival itself is a struggle, leaving no resources for school or childcare. In such cases, elder siblings, sometimes as young as eight, take on the role of caregiver, sacrificing their childhood in the process. It is this innocence that we are determined to protect through our three-fold mission:
- To love those considered unlovable
- To care for those no one cares for
- To share the goodness of people and of God
Our first goal was simple but powerful: to create a safe haven where children could rest, play, bathe, and have a warm meal. Once that foundation was laid, our next step was to empower them by breaking the cycle of poverty through education. But engaging children in education when their stomachs are empty is no easy task. So we start by meeting their basic needs, and gradually introduce learning into their daily routine. When they are ready, we enrol them in nearby government schools to ensure continuity in their education.
A Ray of Hope
The journey of El Shaddai Charitable Trust began on a Sunday in 1997, when I met Anita Edgar from the UK. She was on holiday in Goa with her daughter and happened to attend mass at my church. She told me about a group of children she had seen rummaging through garbage behind her hotel – an image that had haunted her. What began as a casual conversation soon blossomed into a life-changing mission. The following year, we formally registered El Shaddai Charitable Trust, marking the start of a challenging yet immensely rewarding journey to bring hope and help to children in need.
Our first goal was simple but powerful: to create a safe haven where children could rest, play, bathe, and have a warm meal. Once that foundation was laid, our next step was to empower them by breaking the cycle of poverty through education. But engaging children in education when their stomachs are empty is no easy task. So we start by meeting their basic needs, and gradually introduce learning into their daily routine. When they are ready, we enrol them in nearby government schools to ensure continuity in their education.
A Place to Call Home
Today, El Shaddai Charitable Trust operates:
- Seven residential homes
- Three daycare centres
- Four community centres
- Shelters for destitute women and men
- Seven schools
- Training centres and cottages for older children
- Nine outreach programmes across Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra
Breaking Barriers, Achieving Success
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Daycare Centres
Our centres in Goa support 350 children and 12,000 families. Parents drop off their children in the morning, where they spend the day playing, enjoying nutritious meals, napping, and learning basic English reading, writing, and speaking skills. Creative activities like painting, games, and dance classes are integrated, and once a week, the children are taken to the beach for outdoor play.
Aligned with our mission to uplift underserved communities through education and support, we launched a community development programme a decade ago in the remote village of Adrahalli, Karnataka. This initiative offers holistic support by providing children and women with access to education, nutritious meals, and vocational training. To help families build sustainable livelihoods, we also distribute livestock such as goats, chickens, and cows. Today, 70 children benefit from regular tutoring sessions and actively participate in our free food distribution initiative, bringing hope and stability to this rural community.
Community Centres
These centres reach out to 600 children and 18,000 families. We provide vocational training and women empowerment programmes in tailoring, computer skills, and beautician courses, helping women become financially independent. We also offer remedial coaching, tuition classes, medical assistance, and safe shelter for children from sex worker communities.
Shelter Homes
Older children who have grown up with El Shaddai but still need support are housed in our residential homes and cottages. We help them transition to higher education in government schools and colleges. We also provide shelter, counselling, and rehabilitation for homeless men and women.
Project Rena
Located in Turbhe, Mumbai’s red-light district, Project Rena is one of our most heartfelt initiatives. This initiative was born out of deep compassion for women trafficked from across India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Many of these women are held against their will, stripped of their freedom, and subjected to unthinkable abuse. We rescue and rehabilitate these women and children. We nurture not just their physical well-being, but emotional healing and the rebuilding of their identity. We also work tirelessly to protect the most vulnerable – children who are at risk of being pulled into the same cycle of exploitation. Through consistent intervention and care, we actively combat child prostitution and offer these precious lives a chance at a different future. Today, Project Rena supports over 15 children, providing them with safety, education, and hope of a secure future, where these children can dream again.
A Life Changed Through Kindness
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Adrahalli Project
Aligned with our mission to uplift underserved communities through education and support, we launched a community development programme a decade ago in the remote village of Adrahalli, Karnataka. This initiative offers holistic support by providing children and women with access to education, nutritious meals, and vocational training. To help families build sustainable livelihoods, we also distribute livestock such as goats, chickens, and cows. Today, 70 children benefit from regular tutoring sessions and actively participate in our free food distribution initiative, bringing hope and stability to this rural community.
Meals on Wheels
This programme serves daily hot meals to around 700 poor and needy children and adults from impoverished backgrounds in Goa.
We want to ensure that these children have the opportunity to shine in every field. In 2009, we established the El Shaddai Sports & Cultural Club to nurture children’s talents in sports and the arts to encourage their holistic development. Registered with the Goa Football Association in 2010, the Club trains over 100 children – 40 from our shelter homes and the rest from local marginalised communities.
Empowerment Through Education
At the core of all we do is education. Decades of experience have shown us that children from slums struggle in conventional schools, largely because their parents have never set foot in one. Without support at home, these children often fall behind and eventually drop out.
To address this, we started Shanti Niketan School in Assagao, Goa—an unconventional, non-competitive, child-centric school. Play-learning, a unique curriculum, and a patient, loving approach help these children grasp subjects at their own pace. Our teachers use creative methods that pique curiosity in the young minds, making learning an interesting and not an intimidating experience.
We now operate seven schools:
- Goa: Shanti Niketan and First Steps (Assagao), Albert Good News (Margao), Blooms Pre-School (Moira), Butterflies (Porvorim), Tremera Pre-Primary School (Chimbel)
- Karnataka: Blooming Buds (Mundgod)
We also run 39 slum schools and an outreach programme offering educational and health support to underprivileged women and children.
Moulding Well-Rounded Personalities
We want to ensure that these children have the opportunity to shine in every field. In 2009, we established the El Shaddai Sports & Cultural Club to nurture children’s talents in sports and the arts to encourage their holistic development. Registered with the Goa Football Association in 2010, the Club trains over 100 children – 40 from our shelter homes and the rest from local marginalised communities.
A Trust You Can Trust
We collaborate with government agencies such as WCD, GSUDA, and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to extend the benefits of various schemes to our beneficiaries. We are accredited by Give India, Global Giving, CAF India, and Credibility Alliance, and have received Platinum Certification by GuideStar India—the highest standard of transparency and accountability.
Hope from Despair
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We have come a long way, but our journey is not over. We have so much more to achieve. Our goals for the future include expanding our education and skill development programmes, so we can give more kids the tools they need to succeed, strengthening our healthcare and medical outreach so that no child has to worry about their health, reaching to even more families with essential food and necessities so that everyone has the support they need, and lastly, enhancing our sports and extracurricular activities to nurture well-rounded children who can thrive in every area of life.
Impact
It is incredible to look back and see the impact we have achieved thus far. As of 2025, we have created a loving home for 204 children, providing them not just shelter but a sense of belonging. We have served 61,648 cooked meals. We have also been able to support 300 families by providing them with essential groceries, ensuring they have the basics to thrive. It is heartwarming to know that 3,978 children have accessed education through our efforts, as every child deserves the chance to learn and grow. On the health front, we have reached 2,707 individuals with vital medical awareness, helping them stay informed about their health. Finally, we have empowered 1,319 remarkable women through vocational training, helping them become more independent. Every one of these numbers represents real lives changed, and it feels pretty special to be part of this journey.
Looking Ahead
We have come a long way, but our journey is not over. We have so much more to achieve. Our goals for the future include expanding our education and skill development programmes, so we can give more kids the tools they need to succeed, strengthening our healthcare and medical outreach so that no child has to worry about their health, reaching to even more families with essential food and necessities so that everyone has the support they need, and lastly, enhancing our sports and extracurricular activities to nurture well-rounded children who can thrive in every area of life.
Children truly are the heartbeat of our future. It is our collective responsibility to nurture and protect them. At El Shaddai, our commitment remains unwavering – to provide every child in need with shelter, education, healthcare, and hope. Together, we are building a brighter tomorrow – changing lives, one child at a time.