With consistent efforts to uplift communities at Farakka, West Bengal since 2006, Ambuja Foundation commissioned an external Social Return on Investment Study to better understand the impact of its interventions. Conducted by the CII Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CESD), New Delhi, the study returned the finding that for every Re. 1 invested by Ambuja Foundation, a social return, valued at Rs. 9.91, was generated.

Spend just half an hour of your time with Padmini Sekhsaria – the vivacious and accomplished daughter of Ambuja Foundation Founder Narotam Sekhsaria, and Ambuja Foundation Board member – and you quickly realise that your view of the world is terribly small! With an extensive career in the development sector; a diverse background in business; a rich family heritage of philanthropy; and a global perspective – Padmini brings immense value to the table in guiding the trajectory of Ambuja Foundation. She is fast thinking and talking – so strap on your seatbelts and enjoy the ride, as we discuss her journey, all things Ambuja Foundation and her thoughts on the future of development, globally.

Over the last few years, much introspection was done on the issue of ‘Gender’ and Ambuja Foundation’s approach to it – at both a community and organisational level. Women empowerment has always been a core area for Ambuja Foundation. Till date, the need of the hour has been to take a ‘Women & Development’ approach – working directly and primarily with women and enabling them to gain access to information, opportunities and resources that till now, have eluded them.

As part of a 3-day inaugural event, Ambuja Foundation collaborated with Association of Breast Surgery, UK (ABS) along with its counterpart Association of Breast Surgeons in India (ABSI) and Tata Cancer Care Program, Chandrapur, to introduce Continuous Medical Education specific training on Cancer Awareness in the rural communities of Chandrapur, Maharashtra.

Ambuja Foundation, in collaboration with LEAD at Krea University, organized a closed door half-day workshop on 17th February 2023 in Mumbai, bringing together corporates, entrepreneurs, government, CSR leaders, NGO professionals and research consultants to understand how nano and micro-enterprises, and livelihood opportunities, can be scaled up.

Ambuja Foundation was awarded by the prestigious Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) for its excellence in financial reporting for FY 2021-22 in the Non-Profit Sector. ICAI council members appreciated Ambuja Foundation's professionalism in financial reporting and it's work in community development over the last 30 years.

The name ‘Mr. Taparia’ often gets respectfully referred to around the corridors of Ambuja Foundation as the man responsible for its set up – the structure, systems, standard operating procedures and way of governance. Whilst these things, along with the myriad compliances that non-profits need to adhere to these days, are not ‘sexy’ in comparison to on-ground programs, they are in fact, the building blocks upon which Ambuja Foundation has built its reputation, expanded its footprint, and time and again, obtained on ground impacts.

Chandrakant Sahu is one of our successful trainees from SEDI. Mr. Chandrakant Sahu is a resident of Paraspai Viilage in Dharsiwa. Belonging to an economically backward family, Chandrakant became very disappointed when he had to discontinue his studies due to financial constraints faced by his family. As part of a joint family with very small agricultural land holdings, Chandrakant started working as an electrical helper under a contractor. Despite having worked as an electrical helper for a year, he did not have an experience certificate, which restricted his professional growth.

The plug-and-play models support the students in understanding various science and maths concepts, so that they are not just ‘memorizing’ the concepts, but retaining them throughout their lives. Additionally, they are approved by 6 SCERT - Maharashtra, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Nagaland, and Jammu & Kashmir for their alignment with the curriculum.

Ranjana is the President of Kumkum Self Help Group, has two children, and her husband used to work as a laborer under a contractor. However, during the Covid-19 crisis, her husband lost his job, due to which the income of her family stopped – making it difficult to run the household and cover expenses.

“When you visit a village in Rajasthan, you are bound to find a pond close by. One of the most ancient and traditional structures for rainwater harvesting, there are about 83,000 ponds in Rajasthan.

“In Darlaghat, Himachal Pradesh, livestock are a major source of income for families. A big challenge however, was access to timely, good quality veterinary care.