Old images of YWCA centres in Mumbai (left), The YWCA centre in Colaba (right) | Archives, Facebook
One of the oldest non-governmental organisations in the country, the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of Bombay, is celebrating its 150th anniversary.
YWCA was established in the United Kingdom by visionary women in the mid-1800s to help women and children when Britain, amidst economic and social change, came to India in 1875.
In 1855,two separate organisations both known as YWCA, one founded by Emma Roberts and another by Arthur Kinnard emerged in London. The two leaders agreed to the amalgamation of the two organisations and the YWCA was created. Missionaries Henrietta Butt and Eliza McRitchie, Mary Vitters and Mary Sorabji established the first branch of YWCA in Bombay in 1875. Despite its name, YWCA is not affiliated with any particular Christian church and is a group based on membership that responds through service to the changing needs of the community. In Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, the organisation runs four hostels for working women and students, shelter homes for women, daycare centres, and skill-training centres that offer government-recognised vocational courses. The services are run by volunteers with the help of around 150 staff members.
The YWCA centre in Colaba | Facebook
Old images of YWCA centres in Mumbai | Archives
Therese George, General Secretary of YWCA Bombay, said the organisation was set up in the United Kingdom when thousands of women from rural and poor backgrounds were pouring into cities for jobs. “The founders of the YWCA wanted to provide them safety and spirituality. Later they felt that just accommodation and spiritual services were not enough. So they began training in basic vocational skills. The skills training was tailored for the local community’s requirements,” said George.
The YWCA of Bombay has evolved to address societal challenges and change lives and is estimated to have impacted nearly 100 million lives. “When a woman is empowered the whole family is impacted,” said George.
The organisation’s activities are nowadays not just targeted at women. The organisation has a youth wing and its daycare centres benefit families and working parents. At the shelter homes for women that the organisation runs with the help of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, women are encouraged to complete their academic studies and acquire vocational training in employable skills.
YWCA works with groups like the Bombay Catholic Sabha and City Core Group and helps refer distressed women to shelter homes. City Core Group has coordinated with YWCA teams in conducting legal awareness programmes on policing issues, domestic violence concerns, and cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. “We congratulate YWCA on this important milestone in their involvement in humanitarian work and we are proud to be associated with YWCA,” said Dolphy D’Souza, president of the Bombay Catholic Sabha.
The Jubilee Year will be inaugurated on January 25, 2025, at St John Evangelist Church, Afghan War Memorial Church, Colaba, Mumbai, with a grand opening ceremony. The Jubilee Year event will bring together members, beneficiaries, and well-wishers to reflect on the organisation’s history and its work. The opening ceremony will set the tone for the launch of programmes that will be held during the year.
