An Ashram That Shows Lost Lives the Way Back Home

With the support of M3M Foundation, Bhagyashree Mahila Anath Ashram is not only rehabilitating women, but also reconnecting families that were once separated.

HISAR, HARYANA (India CSR): Many times, a person is not just lost from home, but is also lost from the lives of their loved ones.

A room in the house remains exactly the same for years. The clothes kept in the cupboard remain untouched. Every sound at the door brings the hope that perhaps this time, she has returned. Every unknown phone call makes the heart race, hoping that there might finally be some news.

But for many families, all that remains is waiting.

A wait that continues not for months, but for years.

Maya Devi… Phooli Devi… Ramrati… Nikki… Kaushalya… Sunita… Roshni… Anju…

These are not just names.

These are the stories of mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives who became separated from their homes due to mental illness, family circumstances, domestic violence, psychological trauma, or other adverse situations. With time, they lost not only their way, but also their identity. Some could not remember their own names, some had forgotten the name of their village, while some did not even remember which state their home was in.

They were found near railway stations, at bus stands, wandering along roadsides, and near garbage dumps. After spending several days without food, their bodies had become weak. Many women had severe wounds on their bodies, their skin was affected by infections, and due to the lack of timely treatment, their condition had become extremely critical.

But their story did not end here.

Because somewhere, someone was waiting for them.

And for the past five years, Bhagyashree Mahila Anath Ashram in Hisar, with the support of M3M Foundation, has been turning this waiting into hope.

Within a radius of nearly 200 kilometres around Hisar, this Ashram provides safe shelter to mentally ill, destitute, and abandoned women. Today, it is not merely an institution, but has become a bridge between these women and their families, who had almost lost hope of ever meeting them again.

Today, nearly 80 women from different states across the country are living in this Ashram. They are being provided with safe accommodation, nutritious food, clothing, medicines,

hygiene essentials, and regular medical care. At the same time, the Ashram’s greatest achievement is that it has reunited more than 185 women with their families.

Behind these 185 women are 185 different family stories.

A son spent several years searching for his mother. A husband travelled from village to village in search of his wife. One family even sold their land and livestock while searching for their missing female family member. There were also many families who had almost given up hope. But one day, a phone call from Hisar changed their entire world—

“Your mother has been found…”or“Your wife is safe…”

For many such families, Bhagyashree Mahila Anath Ashram did not just return a person—it gave them back their broken family.

Every woman who comes to the Ashram begins her journey in almost the same way, but every story has a different ending.

When a woman arrives at the Ashram, the very first step is to begin her treatment. Women who are seriously ill are treated at Hisar Civil Hospital and Agroha Medical College. Gradually, through proper nutrition, medicines, regular care, and a sense of belonging, their health begins to improve. Then one day, suddenly, they remember the name of a village. Sometimes the name of a son, sometimes a brother, and sometimes the name of their district.

And that is where a new journey back home begins.

The Ashram team works in coordination with the local police, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, Crime Branch, district administration, Gram Panchayats, and the administrations of different states to reach these families. With the help of hundreds of phone calls, video calls, social media, and police records, the day finally arrives when a family, separated for years, stands before each other once again.

For 75-year-old Ramrati, 65-year-old Phooli Devi, 45-year-old Maya Devi, Nikki, Kaushalya, Sunita, and many other women, returning home was not merely a formal process, but a moment when happiness returned to lives that had remained empty for years. Many families broke down in tears on seeing their daughters and mothers again. Many children embraced their mothers after years of separation. Many husbands could hardly believe that the women they had almost stopped searching for were now standing before them.

The Ashram’s service is not limited to Haryana alone. From here, women have been reunited with their families in Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and several other states across the country. Not only this, the Ashram also set an example of humanity by safely reuniting a woman from Nepal with her family.

Not every story ends with a return home.

There are some women who never regain their identity. Some no longer have a family waiting for them.

In such cases, Bhagya shree Mahila Anath Ashram itself becomes their family. The Ashram gives them lifelong dignity, security, and a sense of belonging. Not only this, for the eight women whose identities could never be established, the Ashram also took the responsibility of performing their last rites with complete dignity, respect, and human compassion.

This humanitarian journey of the Ashram continues to receive constant support from M3M Foundation. With the Foundation’s support, all essential arrangements, including food, medical care, clothing, hygiene materials, rehabilitation, and efforts to trace and reunite women with their families—are being ensured.

BalaVerma, Founder, Bhagyashree Seva Sansthan Trust, said,“For us, every woman who comes to the Ashram is someone’s mother, daughter, sister, or wife. Our objective is not only to provide them with shelter, but also to restore their identity and reunite them with their families. When, after years, a son embraces his mother, or a family breaks down in tears after seeing their daughter safe again, those are the moments that inspire us to continue this service.”

Dr. Payal Kanodia, Chairperson & Trustee, M3M Foundation, said, “M3M Foundation believes that reaching the most vulnerable and neglected sections of society with dignity and compassion is the true essence of social responsibility. Our partnership with Bhagyashree Mahila Anath Ashram is not merely support to an institution, but an effort to restore the dignity, identity, and families of those women whose hope had almost faded away. Every reunion strengthens our belief that with compassion and collective efforts, even dreams that seem impossible can be fulfilled.”

Because sometimes, saving a woman is not the greatest act. The greatest act is helping her return to her loved ones. And when she returns home, it is not just a woman who returns— A mother returns. A daughter returns. A wife returns. And above all, a family becomes whole once again.

(India CSR)

Also Read in Hindi: बिछड़ी ज़िंदगियों को घर का रास्ता दिखाता एक आश्रम