In an economy as large as India, 95% of the industrial units in the country consist of small businesses which churn out 40% of total industrial output. Again, small businesses bag around 45% of the total exports from India, and after agriculture, small business is the second largest employment provider in the Indian economy.

Ambuja Foundation is now certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ in India under the Non-Profit and Charity Organization. The core values in Ambuja Foundation’s DNA stood out during the process – being recognized for the strength and dedication of its team, the down to earth and loyal culture, its values & culture, humane yet professional attitude and ethos towards its own team and an unwavering commitment to enabling prosperity in rural India.

Ambuja Foundation’s Dadri was recently felicitated with a CSR Award by the Rotary Club (District 3011) in a glittering event in Gurgaon this October. The award appreciated the efforts of Ambuja Foundation in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and its sustainable impact through the years. Ambuja Foundation has been working in Dadri, Ghaziabad, (Uttar Pradesh) for the last 15 years in areas of Agro-based Livelihood, Health and Sanitation, Education and Women Empowerment.

All thanks to NABARD, Ambuja Foundation has received a sanction to train 125 youth in Assistant Electrician course in 5 batches at SEDI Bathinda. This sanction is part of NABARD’s ongoing efforts in fostering Skill Development and Rural Entrepreneurship Development initiatives in rural areas.

The recent pandemic has averted our attention from the alarming water crisis India is facing, however the distressing problem remains. With short memories, many have forgotten that 21 Indian cities ran out of water in 2019, and that unless something radical is done, we face a grim future when it comes to water.

The National Skill and Development Corporation under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY) sanctioned Ambuja Foundation’s skill training institutes (SEDIs) to training 440 youth in the General Duty Assistant (GDA) course. 11 SEDI centres from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra have been selected to train 40 students per centre in GDA.

Prahlad Ram and his wife, Parma Devi, have built a reputation for themselves across Rajasthan. It seems their jeera, which is being exported to the US, is being purchased in bulk by the Indian diaspora and rumor has it, even Vice-President Kamla Harris has tried it!

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.

Never in her wildest dreams did housewife Renu Thakur imagine where cows would take her in life! From Nauni village in Darlaghat all the way to the offices of the Ministry of Finance, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry in the Himachal Pradesh State Government, Renu has been on a wild ride. Renu was one of the 30 founding members of the women only Amrit Dhara Dairy Milk Cooperative, which has grown from strength to strength - swelling to 300 members today.

Hamirbhai is passionate about water, which is a perfect fit for his role as the community elected ‘Water Operator’ of his village. At just 37 years of age he has become an advocate in the district for promoting ‘water quality testing’ to prevent ill-health among villagers, and has been instrumental in turning the water situation around in over 13 communities.

Something radical is happening in Inaj village in Veraval, Gir Somnath District. 15 young girls have become the primary breadwinners of their families, having trained in Electronics at SEDI - securing lucrative jobs as Assembly Operators and transforming ingrained perceptions about what women can do.

Ravikiran Saini is a fourth generation farmer from Bhagwanpur, Uttarakhand. On the surface he may look like a simple farmer, but this man is passionate about organic farming – so passionate and experienced in fact that he moonlights as a regular guest lecturer at IIT Roorkee.