Many development organization has mark their success on the number of projects and programs they implement. However, we believe that the true success and contribution of our organization is promoting sustainable development that can more effectively be measured by taking a look at our efforts in strengthening local organisations. After all, improving ‘community ownership’ is both a means and an end in the process of development.

When you talk with Manoj Agarwal about the secret to success in rural development, he very passionately begins to espouse the ‘saturation approach.’ As one of Ambuja Foundation’s leadership team for Rajasthan & West Bengal Regions, Manoj believes that “if we are to truly see village transformation, every program must reach every household in a village – period.”

The spare room in Mehra Sheikh’s house has been transformed. It’s become a sanitary pad production centre and it bustles from day to night as women come and go, meeting strict production targets for the new menstrual hygiene product.

Ambuja Foundation has partnered with Asian Paints to enhance the livelihood of 4.2 lakh individuals in nine villages in Visakhapatnam through water and health initiatives. As part of Asian Paints CSR initiative, Ambuja Foundation acts as an implementing partner for this project to revive water bodies, install water filtration systems and create awareness among the community on judicious utilisation of water resources and health and hygiene for the next two years.

It’s 2022 and the world has changed. And with it, so have we. We have all pivoted towards a new way of doing things – we’ve gone digital like never before; we’ve diversified and taken on new responsibilities; we’ve been forced to become more and more enterprising as seemingly insurmountable hurdles continue to be thrown in our way.

The success of the Swacch Bharat Mission Gramin Phase 1, has played a crucial role in increasing sanitation facilities at household level across the country and many studies have attributed to a positive impact on community health especially women and children resulting in improvement in health indicators like child mortality rate and for that, there is a lot to celebrate. However rural India still has a long way to go to transform its solid and liquid waste management systems in order to achieve targets surrounding the sustainable development goals, and to bring to life Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of ‘total sanitation for all.’

‘Mental Health in Rural India? Is there a need?’ This is a question that echoes in the minds of many as we emerge from the intense stress of the pandemic, and is a key point of query for development sector professionals working at the grassroots.

Thanks to Sir Mathuradas Vissanji Education Trust, Ambuja Foundation was able to install a CNC plasma cutting machine at its Skill & Entrepreneurship Development Institute (SEDI) in Ambujanagar and Chandrapur to encourage girls’ participation in machine operations and manufacturing and an AI Lab in SEDI Bhagwanpur offering advanced skills to rural youth.

AU Skills Academy was launched as a CSR initiative of AU Small Finance Bank anchored by AU Foundation, to train rural youth in the region of Rajasthan. Ambuja Foundation’s SEDI acts as the implementing partner in training youth at AU Skills Academy, Jaipur.

When it comes to implementing development programs in rural communities, paraprofessionals have emerged as powerful conduits to help bridge the gap between an implementing agency and the community and to fast-track outcomes.

There is an urgent need for people in rural communities to change the way in which they view, and subsequently treat, community ponds. From being seen as a community dumping ground, to being viewed and valued as an abundant community resource, we must reignite the interdependent relationship between people and ponds.

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.