Lucy Kurien

Lucy Kurien is the founder and director of Maher, a community and interfaith organization for abused and destitute women and children, headquartered in Pune, India.

Life Born in South India's Kerala province, Lucy moved to Mumbai to access better education when she was twelve. The city's slums were her first introduction to the conditions of the poor. At the age of nineteen, she decided she wanted to become a religious sister and joined the Holy Cross order, which focused on teaching and nursing.

However, she was inspired by Mother Teresa's work and felt called to be closer to the people she wanted to help, directly touching the lives of the poor. In 1989 she joined the HOPE organization, founded by Sr Noilline Pinto of the Holy Cross Convent to help abused women. In 1991, while still working at the Hope, she had an encounter that would inspire her life's work. A pregnant woman came to her asking for shelter from her alcoholic husband who she thought would beat her. Sister Lucy did not know where to send her since the convent did not take laypeople. She had to send her away but promised to help the following day. That evening, the woman's husband doused her in alcohol and set her on fire. Both the woman and baby died. In the short-term, Maher provides immediate shelter and interventions. In the long-term, the community focuses on upending India's systemic violence, exploitation, and segregation—of men and women, but also of rich and poor. Other prominent awards include the DCCIA Award for Excellence in Social Service 2010 Global Women's Leadership Award 2011, the Paul Harris Fellow and the Vanitha Woman of the Year Award. Maher and Sister Lucy have featured several times on Indian television, including the popular show Satyamev Jayate hosted by actor Aamir Khan, and also on Vatican Radio. In 2015, Sister Lucy was invited to attend the Clinton Global Initiative. In May 2017, Maher was granted a "special consultative status" with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN-ECOSOC).thumb Sister Lucy has had the opportunity to meet with Pope Francis, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former US President Bill Clinton on different occasions.

Interfaith Association for Service to Humanity and Nature In February 2017, Sister Lucy Kurien founded the Interfaith Association for Service to Humanity and Nature in Pune, India.

As of October 2017, this new community has 220 members from 8 countries.

Honors 2018: Neerja Bhanot Award 2018: Jijabai Achievers Award 2017: Sri Sathya Sai Award for Human Excellence - 'Unity Of Religions' 2016: Nari Shakti award 2016: Vanitha Woman of the Year 2011: Leadership Award, Global Women's Summits Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International