From humble beginnings to becoming one of India’s leading manufacturers in piping systems, the story of Prince Pipes and Fittings Limited (“Prince Pipes”) and its growth, is nothing short of inspiring! Starting out in business with just a small family Kirana shop, the family ‘s penchant for business evolved – pivoting into the plastics industry in the 1970s, when five brothers came began into making household items like buckets and jugs. In 1980, a pivotal moment occurred when the family members chose to branch out. Seizing an untapped opportunity, Jayant Shamji Chheda founded Prince Pipes, and what followed was a steady rise as a leader in plumbing and piping solutions.

A recent progress report of Project SUMAN (Smart Upgrade Modern, Aware Natural), implemented by Ambuja Foundation in collaboration with Anand Rathi Global Finance, highlighted significant impact across five villages in the Pali district of Rajasthan. Targeting the communities of Baldo Ki Dhani, Bhato Ki Dhani, Jawariya, Gulabpura, and Giradara, the project reached over 927 households, transforming the lives of more than 4,500 rural residents through a multi-pronged approach focused on agriculture, water security, skill development, and women’s empowerment.

Sun Pharma, a pharmaceutical company in India, in collaboration with Ambuja Foundation, launched an Integrated Water Resources Development and Management Program (IWRDMP) in Dhari taluka of Amreli district, Gujarat. This four-year initiative aims to address the critical water and agricultural challenges faced by farmers and their families across 40 water-scarce villages in Dhari. This initiative is part of Sun Pharma’s broader climate action efforts under its CSR projects.

Ambuja Foundation, an independent, pan-India social development organization dedicated to generating prosperity in rural communities, launched a Holistic Rural Development Programme in Kondagaon district of Chhattisgarh, in partnership with HDFC Bank Parivartan. Ambuja Foundation, with its proven expertise in implementing rural development initiatives, aims to resolve the pressing issues surrounding youth unemployment, water scarcity in communities, and limitations around education and livelihood.

HDFC Bank, through its flagship CSR initiative Parivartan, has partnered with Ambuja Foundation, a pan-India social development organisation, to launch a transformative agri-water initiative in Maharashtra. The project spans Warora and Bhadravati Talukas in Chandrapur district and Umred Taluka in Nagpur district, addressing critical challenges related to water management, soil fertility, and agriculture in 88 Gram Panchayats across these regions.

In a significant step towards fostering financial independence among rural and tribal women, Ambuja Foundation successfully trained 30 women from Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh, in electric vehicle (EV) training under its Skill & Entrepreneurship Development Institute (SEDI) program. Supported by the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) and Hero Motocorp Ltd, the trained candidates have secured employment with leading automotive companies such as Hero Motocorp, Tata Motors, and Chetak Electrical Vehicle Showrooms.

Sanjay Kothari lights up when he talks about his philanthropic initiative, Krishnashray Gurukul, a skill training institute where he has collaborated with Ambuja Foundation to expand its impact. Having spent a lifetime in corporate advisory, wealth management, debt syndication, finance, and compliance & taxation, his foray into Philanthropy has brought a whole new ‘spring’ in his step as he spends time giving something meaningful back to the community. And Ambuja Foundation is helping bring his vision to life.

Ambuja Foundation welcomed partners in the field across a variety of locations this month as they witnessed firsthand the impact of their investments on the ground in grassroots communities.

Ambuja Foundation, in collaboration with Idobro Impact Solutions and Samhita-CGF, launched the CSR PACT recently - an initiative for CSR leaders to come together and discuss four strategic pillars: Policy, Action, Capacity and Transformation. After a decade of CSR law, there was a felt need to relook at CSR strategy and impact, and to bring together leaders from the space to collaboratively discuss the decade gone by. An invite- only forum, CSR PACT will be organized every quarter, and invites leadership to discuss challenges, share experiences and explore opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

In Abhla, Lakhipur, and other neighbouring villages in Farakka, an unfamiliar fruit brings hope and higher income. A strawberry called Winter Dawn.

It’s not very often you get to speak with the CEO at the helm of a global organization driving sustainability around cotton farming! In these trying times, where issues like climate change, and the ubiquitous rural poverty can feel so overwhelming and grim, a talk with Alan McClay, CEO of Better Cotton, based in Geneva, is like a breath of fresh air! His optimism, passion and insight give us all hope that if we continue to chip away, a better world awaits us all …

Whilst the maze of financial and regulatory compliances inflicted on NGOs in the last decade have ‘cleaned up the sector’ to a large extent, smaller NGOs, that often lack the internal resources and wherewithal to navigate the myriad regulations, are at risk of floundering under the weight of complicated reporting and paperwork. Compliances and tighter restrictions surrounding CSR funds and FCRA may well be the nail in the coffin for many small, regional NGOs, but seek to guide NGOs in being more impactful with their work. ACF’s Richa Honavar, Head of Accounts & Compliance, speaks at length on the subject …