A third of the world's soil is moderately to highly degraded, threatening global food supplies, increasing carbon emissions and foreshadowing mass migration. In India, soil erosion and degradation are widespread across the largely agrarian nation - putting our food security, and the livelihood of millions of farmers, at threat. A change in farming practices has never been more urgent.

In July 2021, in the wake of the brutal second wave of the pandemic, India was at the height of its ‘vaccination’ effort and often the demand for vaccine outstripped the supply. It was no different in Talipur village Farrakka West Bengal, where 25-year-old Masters of Science student, Krishna Saha was volunteering as an Ambuja Foundation ‘Covisainik’ Volunteer.

The inspiring stories of Ambuja Foundation’s beneficiaries have been captured in a stunning coffee table book format – highlighting their perseverance and ‘unstoppable’ drive in pursuing their livelihoods and passions.

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.

On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day celebrated on 15th July 2021, Ambuja Foundation launched a COVID-19 Volunteer Program for community members to offer a cadre of volunteers to the local administration and health system in Ambuja Foundation locations.

In 2020, WHO recommended supplemental oxygen therapy for COVID-19 patients with respiratory distress, hypoxemia or shock.

Ambuja Foundation played a crucial role in the #OxygenforEveryone initiative, a Swasth Alliance and ACT grants initiative, and helped provide 167 concentrators to the district administration, Government hospitals and primary healthcare centres in Dadri, Bathinda, Chandrapur, Bhatapara, Sankrail and Raigarh and more are in process.

58% of India’s population depends on Agriculture as the primary source of livelihood. However, it contributes to only about 18% of the country’s GDP.

Anita Nayak from Jaitaran belongs to a low income group with her father being the only breadwinner of the family. A challenge to make ends meet on a daily basis, farmers in eastern Rajasthan are known to have difficult lives due to the lack of water availability which affects their crop production. But while Anita worked hard in her studies and completed her graduation, she still couldn't secure a decent job.

As our staff continues to strive hard on the front line, here are a few updates on our interventions during this month:-

World No Tobacco Day was promoted in a few Ambuja Foundation locations apprise beneficiaries of the ill affects of using Tobacco.

India's nationwide lockdown, due to COVID-19, has taken a toll on the immunization of children across the country with most new borns missing the scheduled vaccinations in the first phase of the lockdown.