Child Welfare award for Sr Lawrencia Marques

Sr Lawrencia Marques, the Directress of Asha Sadn was awarded the National Award for Child Welfare 1996 by the President of India, Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma at a function held in Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi.

Asha Sadan is a social centre at Baina, run by the congregation of sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth with its Mother house at Sancoale.

The National award for Child Welfare was conferred on Asha Sadan for its exemplary work for the welfare of the children of the commercial sex workers and slum dwellers in Goa.

Established in 1992, Asha Sadan is engaged in providing basic needs such as food, clothing, education, medical facilities to the children of the red light area and slums situated at Baina.

The institution provides non-formal education to hundreds of children and prepare them for schooling and other activities which may help them i their lives.

Thereafter, they are placed in boarding schools in Goa through sponsors. Girl children of commercial sex workers, who are school dropouts are trained in tailoring. A number of women have been saved from prostitution and rehabilated in various jobs b this institution.

The institution is managed with the assistance from Caritas Goa, well-wishers and sponsors from private agencies.