New Delhi, September 29, 2023 : The Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF), the social impact arm of Vedanta Limited, released its annual Social Impact Report for the fiscal 2022-2023. The report encapsulates the Foundation’s persistent endeavours and achievements to advance the well-being of individuals and communities across the country. It revealed that AAF dedicated INR 454 crores in FY22-23 across a diverse range of transformative initiatives reaffirming its mission to uplift and empower communities.
Over the past fiscal, AAF’s multifaceted program touched the lives of over 44 million people out of which 4.39 million people benefitted directly from social impact initiatives of AAF across 1268 Indian villages.
Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Chairperson, Hindustan Zinc Ltd, Non-Executive Director, Vedanta Ltd, & Anchor, The Animal Care Organization (TACO) said, “At Vedanta, we believe in doing business with a purpose. Social impact is at the very core of who we are and what we do. At the top of our list of priorities is the empowerment of women and the nourishment of children. Women are half of our population and their active participation in economic activity will transform not just families but also the country. And children are precious for our future. Giving back is a most cherished principal for our Chairman, Mr. Anil Agarwal. Our commitment to transforming communities and preserving our planet is unwavering.”
As per the Social Impact Report released, 4500 Nand Ghars were developed in the fiscal 2022-23 benefitting 1,80,000 children and 1,36,000 women through its high impact services in early childhood education, healthcare, nutrition, and skilling. Another milestone that AAF reached through Project Nand Ghar’s nutrition pillar was the launch of multi-millet nutri bars for children in Anganwadis to supplement the daily diet of children with the right nutrition thus improving their nutritional intake. Under the 6 months pilot project, 9 million bars are being distributed daily to 50,000 children in 1,364 Anganwadi centres including Nand Ghars across three blocks of Varanasi, namely Arajiline, Sewapuri & Kashi Vidyapith.
AAF collaborated with Nutri-hub, IIMR (Indian Institute of Millet Research) and TrooGood to develop these multi-millet nutri bars. The pilot project has already proved to be a huge success in boosting cognitive development of children and reducing absenteeism in Anganwadis.
To improve the future of animal health and well-being, Anil Agarwal Foundation launched The Animal Care Organization (TACO) in April 2022, a unique animal welfare project guided by the principle of ‘One Health’ to provide top-notch infrastructure, veterinary services, training, and shelters. It focuses on six pillars of shelter, hospital, academy, wildlife conservation, disaster relief, and sectoral engagement. In less than a year, TACO had sheltered 115+ animals in its Faridabad facility and provided treatment and vaccination to over 384 animals and 500 dogs, respectively.
Aimed at eradicating malnutrition from the country, AAF’s parent company Vedanta joined hands with Procam to launch Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon and brought people together for the noble cause of #RunForZeroHunger. The cause gained momentum through other marquee sporting events as well such as Vedanta Pink City Half Marathon held in Jaipur, and partnerships with the Mumbai and Bangalore marathons. For every kilometre clocked by the runners, Vedanta pledged a nutritious meal to a child in need through its Nand Ghar initiative. Over 50,000 people from across the world participated in the prestigious marathons, clocking more than 2 million kilometres and 2 million meals.
Dedicated to promoting sports and nurturing grassroots talent in India by establishing state-of-the-art sports infrastructure, training and grooming programmes especially for football, karate and archery, the Foundation created a massive impact for the upliftment of 0.35 million potential players. To further foster sporting aspirations of our country, Anil Agarwal International Cricket Stadium is being built at Chonp near Jaipur which will be India’s second largest cricket stadium.
The social impact report also showcases AAF’s community healthcare initiatives that includes providing critical access to healthcare services, essential medicines, and treatment at BALCO Medical Centre & Vedanta Hospital, instrumental in saving lives and improving overall well-being of 2.7 million people in underserved regions. Additionally, AAF enhanced the lives of 0.62 million individuals through its various community infrastructure projects.
Skilling and livelihood projects across the Foundation empowered 44,000 women and developed them into community leaders. Furthermore, AAF improved the living conditions for 0.62 million people through projects ensuring access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities. Its focus on children’s education and well-being reached 0.55 million children, while its dedication to environmental conservation touched the lives of 0.40 million individuals. Its initiatives in agriculture and animal husbandry have brought hope to 94,000 individuals, thereby increasing livelihood opportunities.
Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)
