*Partnership between Anil Agarwal Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Nand Ghar aims to change the lives of 8 crore women and 2 crore children at the grassroots level.
The Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF), which joined hands with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation last week, will set up 500 Nand Ghars in UP over the next 12 months.
Majority of the new centers will come up in the districts of Amethi and Varanasi in the first phase of this partnership. Nand Ghar project and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will jointly fund the expansion program in a 50:50 ratio.
Studies have shown that more than 90 per cent of the children enrolled with Nand Ghars are found in the healthy category, with zero slippage into malnutrition.
Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal said, ?We are delighted to partner with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on the Nand Ghar project in state of Uttar Pradesh. We would be jointly developing 500 Nand Ghars in UP with focus on improving health and nutritional outcomes for women and children. Nand Ghar is a joint collaboration with Ministry of Women & Child Development, where we hope to transform the entire landscape of the aanganwadi ecosystem with focus on nutrition.?
Nand Ghar ? an initiative of the Anil Agarwal Foundation ? is currently operating in seven states and plans to roll out the social impact project in Bihar. Vedanta Nand Ghar, which is supported by MoWCD, is transforming the Anganwadi ecosystem in India by focusing on women and childcare at the grassroots level.
Anil Agarwal has already pledged 75% of his wealth to philanthropy and is committed to giving back to society and eliminate malnutrition, especially among women & children.
The collaboration between the two philanthropic organizations will involve the implementation of best practices of Nand Ghar infrastructure and amenities along with BMGF?s system strength to improve the health and nutrition outcomes. The desired goal is to widen the spread and scale Nand Ghars in identified districts of Uttar Pradesh to have deeper and large-scale impact.
?Nand Ghar?s work is advancing India?s health and development goals in a meaningful way, and by working together, I think we?ll advance them even faster,? Bill Gates has said.
According to Union Minister for Women & Child Development: ?The Government of India is committed towards enabling a healthy & well-nourished life for every child. The partnership of BMGF and Anil Agarwal Foundation to ameliorate malnutrition will surely have a lasting impact and further strengthen Honourable PM Narendra Modi?s vision of Suposhit Bharat.?
The Nand Ghar journey began in 2015, and now with the rollout of over 1700 centers, the project is now spread across 7 states ? Rajasthan, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Nand Ghar aims to change the lives of 8 crore women and 2 crore children at the grassroots level.
About Vedanta Limited
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world?s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa, Namibia, and Australia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta’s strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. Under the aegis of Vedanta Cares, the flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars have been set up as model anganwadis focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. The company has been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and was conferred CII-ITC Sustainability Award, the FICCI CSR Award, Dun & Bradstreet Awards in Metals & Mining, and certified as a Great Place to Work. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in India and has ADRs listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
