About ACF
Ambuja Foundation is an independent, pan-India development organization, committed to generating prosperous rural communities. We believe in the vast, untapped potential of rural communities and the unstoppable power of the people that live there. With investments in water, agriculture, skills, women, health and education, we enable ‘livelihoods’ as a pathway to unleashing that potential.
Partnering with like-minded corporates, Governments and others, we work collaboratively with communities to solve pressing community problems – empowering local people to be the catalysts and drivers of change. And over almost 3 decades of work, we have seen a complete transformation in the remote geographies in which we work.
Today, with the full support and encouragement of Ambuja Cements Ltd, we are committed to expanding our footprint and impact of our work even further, through partnerships – building many more sustainable, prosperous rural communities, and revitalising rural India as the backbone of this country.
Vision
A sustainable, prosperous society, built on long-term partnerships.
I have a dream.
A great one that changes the face of the country and the destiny of the nation. Where we join hands with other passionate leaders. And pool our respective strengths.
To make rural India prosper.
MR NAROTAM SEKHSARIA
Chairman, Ambuja Cement Foundation
Mission
We energise, involve and enable communities to
realise their potential:
Energise
We motivate and mobilise people to work together and amplify impact.
Involve
We build partnerships and co-create solutions.
Enable
We build capacity and instill ownership.
ACF model
Community engagement & prioritisation of issues
- Rapport building
- Entry point activities
Identify participatory solutions
- Listen to traditional wisdom
- Understand issues & probable solutions
Institution Building & Implementation
- Promote appropriate institutions
- Building capacity
- Implement pilots learning
SCALING UP
- Replicate successful solutions for scaling up
Ongoing Support
- Acting as a guide and providing moral support
Sustainability
- Strengthening Insitutions for long term sustainability
Prosperity Impacts
22% increase in the incomes of cotton farmers
30% increased production under system of rice intensification
2424 SHGs with Rs. 14.44 crore corpus
146 villages with 100% toilet coverage
Social Return on Investment – 13x in Kodinar (Gujarat) 5x in Rabriyawas (Rajasthan) and 8x in Darlaghat (HP)
Rs. 2403 million cumulative increase in income earned by SEDI graduates
Our journey
Generating awareness on non-communicable diseases
Launched our project to provide information and generate awareness on non-communicable diseases amongst rural communities.
BCI global council
ACF became a member of BCI Global Council.
First farmer producer organisation
ACF formed its first farmer producer organisation.
Partnered with IDH
ACF partnered with IDH - Sustainable Trade Initiative to implement Better Cotton Initiative in our geographies. We started the project with 2500 cotton farmers.
System of Rice Intensification
ACF implemented the system of rice intensification (SRI) that has eventually led to significant increase in rice production.
Established a Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)
ACF, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), established a Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Kodinar (Gujarat). KVK is a farm research centre that build farmers’ capacity through training programs, demonstrations, visits and other extension services. The centre also runs a community radio station airing the latest agricultural information to local farmers.
Our first Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Institute
The first Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Institute (SEDI) was established in Jaitaran, Rajasthan.
Began working in the deserts of Rajasthan
ACF began working in Rabriyawas in the deserts of Rajasthan. This was a place hit by cyclical droughts and access to drinking water was a major challenge.
This same year, we began orienting and building capacity of our Sakhis to provide focused services on home-based newborn care (HBNC).
Training local women cadres as Sakhis
ACF began training the local women cadres as Sakhis in order to enable them to provide basic healthcare services in their vicinity.
First phase of Kharash Vistarotthan Yojana
ACF began with its first phase of Kharash Vistarotthan Yojana, in an effort to find solution to severe salinity ingress. ACF undertook this project in collaboration with Tata Trusts and Aga Khan Rural Support programme (India). KVY I began with 20 villages of Kodinar and Sutrapada talukas of Gir Somnath District.
Formation of ACF's very first SHG
The year marked with the formation of our very first SHG in Kodinar, Gujarat. Within a year, we rose from one SHG to 10 SHGs.
This same year, we began with our operations in Chandrapur location of Maharashtra and Darlaghat location of Himachal Pradesh
ACF starts work with 15 villages
ACF began working with the rural community in Kodinar, Gujarat. We began with 15 villages with a modest budget of Rs 15 lakh