Our Story

Founded in 2005 by Dr Nandita de Souza, a developmental paediatrician, and five other women warriors for inclusion, Sethu was born of the conviction that all children, particularly the most vulnerable, must receive a fair chance to realise their potential.

Our first professional team comprised Dr Nandita, Yogita Joshi, special educator, and Anjali Barretto, speech and language therapist. Our three founder trustees were Elvina Menezes, Ameeta Mascarenhas and Sneha Bhandare. The first time we opened doors, it was in a compact two-bedroom apartment generously offered by Eric Menezes.

The demand for our services escalated rapidly, with an ever-increasing number of referrals, community outreach programmes, group interventions, and requests for training and internships. By the age of 18, we’d expanded our team ten times over and moved four times. Our last move was into a lovely property bequeathed by our dear friend and supporter, Alessandro Bafico.

In 2022, we completed the ground-breaking of our permanent centre in Guirim. Built using universal design principles, with fit-for-purpose facilities for assessments, therapies, counselling, play, teaching, training and much more, it will enable us to reach many more children and families with essential services. Our new premises will serve as an example of what neurodiversity-affirming services have to offer, and the extraordinary changes they can bring about in the lives of our most vulnerable children.

The pride and joy we get from our work is its own reward!

Awards and Accolades

2024	Empowerment Award at Business Network of India , Goa Samudra
2019	‘Best NGO Award’ by the Directorate of Social Welfare, Government of Goa
2018	Dr Nandita De Souza named Changemaker 2018 and Goa Today’s Person of the Year, 2019
2018	Dr. Aparna Wadkar, first IAP Fellow awarded a Gold Medal by the IAP
2010	Viva Goa Award for Social Empowerment by The Navhind Times