Bhendvi is a multi-language, tribal village on the border of Maharashtra and sits close to the border of Telegana, where people speak one or two of five different languages. As a result, school numbers are low, with many children finding the language of instruction, Marathi, difficult.

Walk into rural government schools, and you will often find a number of the teachers ‘absent’ from the classroom. In fact, according to Pratham’s ASER study, before the pandemic, approximately 30%, or roughly one in three teachers, were found to be absent on any given day in rural areas. The cost of this? Teacher absence in India in 2019-20 cost the country approximately Rs. 333.97 billion (USD 4.6 billion)*. However, the cost to children is much higher - the loss of their education and future potential.

Many of us assume that higher classes and board examinations are the only critical parts of a child’s education journey. However, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. It is the early school years, between the ages 3-8 years, which are the most important, as this is where core foundational skills such as ‘reading’ are developed – and without them firmly in place, children flounder as they progress through school.

When COVID-19 closed the doors of his classroom in 2020, Giridhar Panghate hadto think outside the box to reach, and teach, his students. What started as a WhatsApp group of 3-4 students, swelled to 6000 students on Zoom, when Giridhar tried his hand at making educational videos and lvie streaming in classes.

When the lockdown of 2020 was relaxed and support staff returned to the AMK campus, they found it in complete disarray. The 2.8 acre campus and sprawling gardens were a mess – a far cry from the clean, manicured gardens AMK usually sports.

Ambuja Foundation is harnessing the power of the multiplier effect by training PT teachers and empowering them to impart sports and physical education to hundreds of students across Himachal Pradesh. After a successful pilot, they now plan to replicate and roll out the 'train the trainer' model across an additional 50 schools from 5 locations in 2021.

Harishchandra comes from a farming family, but from the time he first set foot in a classroom, he has had a passion for Education.

Health and Safety (H&S) is of great importance at Ambuja Foundation and across programmes, H&S is carefully adhered to. Ambuja Manovikas Kendra, a school in Ropar, Punjab that caters to children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities, takes H&S seriously going over and above basic requirements (like wheelchairs, ramps and railings) to ensure health and safety is taken care at the institute:

Unable to sit properly, walk or feed herself, Arshpreet's future looked grim.

Five schools from Golapur, Bhoyegaon, Nandappa, Punagada and Markgondi in Chandrapur kick-started their Children's Day celebration with a month-long series of handicraft workshops.

Hoshiarpur (Punjab), May 15 - Students of Ambuja Manovikas Kendra (AMK), the only educational institute for special children in Punjab's Ropar district and an initiative of Ambuja Foundation - the CSR arm of leading cement manufacturer Ambuja Cements Ltd - have clinched the 'Overall Championship Trophy' at the 'UMANG 2019' for the fourth year in a row.

To further support Ambuja Manovikas Kendra (AMK) students and their families who struggle to make ends meet, AMK has initiated a Child Sponsorship programme, inspiring local organisations and individuals to contribute.