Transforming Lives: Priya Agarwal Hebbar on Nand Ghar’s Social Impact

Priya Agarwal Hebbar discusses Nand Ghar’s alignment with the Anil Agarwal Foundation’s goals and its transformative impact on Indian communities.

Words Rusen Kumar

In an exclusive interview with Rusen Kumar, Editor of India CSR, Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc Ltd (Non-Executive Director, Vedanta & Anchor, TACO), shares insights on the Nand Ghar initiative. She explains how the project aligns with the Anil Agarwal Foundation’s goals, focusing on child development, healthcare, education, and women’s empowerment, aiming to create a lasting impact on communities across India.

Edited Excerpts:

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What inspired the Nand Ghar initiative and how does it align with the Anil Agarwal Foundation’s goals?

For any organization, there are two wings, Artha & Dharma – Artha is the value that an organization creates, and Dharma is the value an organization gives back to society. Both are equally important, and this philosophy forms the bedrock of Vedanta’s give-back initiatives.

Launched in 2015, Nand Ghar is a network of modern Anganwadis started with an aim to transform the lives of 7 crore children and 2 crore women, by developing a conducive environment for learning, combating malnutrition, and providing financial growth opportunities to women.

Nand Ghar has reimagined the Anganwadi network with a state-of-the-art infrastructure powered with 24×7 solar electricity, clean hygienic toilets, water purifiers, and best-in-class services for e-learning-based pre-school education along with wholesome nutrition. Thus, through Nand Ghar, AAF realizes its commitment to holistic community development, ensuring no child is deprived of essential resources and opportunities.

With the aim to ensure ‘Zero Hunger’ and combat malnourishment in the country we have launched the Nand Ghar Movement – ‘Agar Bachpan Se Poocha Khaana Khaaya, Toh Desh Ka Kal Banaya’. Our aim is to ensure every child in the country has access to nutritious food.

Can you share the Nand Ghar story so far, including key milestones and impactful success stories? How does Nand Ghar address malnutrition, healthcare, education, and women’s empowerment?

Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF), the philanthropic arm of Vedanta, has invested ~USD 240 million towards socio-economic development in India touching the lives of more than 45 million people across 1300 villages in India.

To tackle the systemic issues of child development & nutrition, Vedanta has modernized over 6000 Anganwadis across the country through its flagship project Nand Ghar which aims to ensure opportunities for 7 crore children and 2 crore women even in the remotest parts of the country.

Overall, the Nand Ghar Movement is a holistic approach to improving the lives of children and women across India, fostering a more equitable and prosperous future.

Nutrition

• To extend our mission of nourishing India’s tomorrow, we have been supplementing children’s nutritional needs with protein and energy-dense multi-millet nutri-bars. This pilot programme was launched in Varanasi district to provide millet bars to almost 50,000 children daily across 1400 Anganwadi centres.
• We meet nutritional needs by facilitating hot cooked meals, including organic fruits and vegetables grown in indigenous Poshan Vatikas, ensuring a steady supply of nutrition to the community. Our nutritional interventions have helped these children move from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM)& Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) categories to normal health, helping reduce the number of malnourished children in the country.
• We facilitate Take Home Ration for children, and pregnant and lactating women of Nand Ghar.

Education

• Delivering integrated services in pre-school education, health, nutrition & skill development are central to Nand Ghar’s approach.
• Our centres incorporate building as learning aid (BaLA) designs, added dimensions boards (AD boards), and smart televisions for e-learning. The reading and learning materials are regionally curated, keeping diverse cultures and backgrounds in mind.
• Anganwadi workers and Sahayikas are trained extensively with an appropriate mix of classroom and on-site training.

Healthcare

• We follow an integrated healthcare model with access to crucial services at the doorstep.
• Regular OPDs, basic non-invasive tests, and free medication are available to the community through regular health camps and collaboration with government services.

Women Empowerment

• More than 2 lakh women have been positively impacted by the support extended by us.
• Through upskilling initiatives, women have become micro-entrepreneurs and are now becoming breadwinners by earning 10-12k a month.
• We empower women with skill development programs such as stitching, jewelry making and other indigenous products, training in beauty courses and hospitality.
• We also support digital and financial literacy for women and youth thus boosting their economic independence.
• Amongst countless success stories of Nand Ghar, one of my favourites is of Kusum Devi, a resident of Ayodhyapur village in Varanasi who has become a household name in her village today, going door-to-door selling sanitary napkins. Kusum was trained at Nand Ghar and while her father-in-law opposed her job, she received support from her mother-in-law in pursuing her dream.  Every month now, over hundreds of women purchase sanitary pads from Kusum, each packet priced at INR 35, generating a healthy income for her. Today, she has broken several gender norms back in her village and is motivating several women like her to gain financial independence.

What’s the story behind the ‘Khaana Khaaya Kya’ campaign and why Manoj Bajpayee?

For us, the Nand Ghar #KhaanaKhaayaKya movement is about commitment to the vision that no child goes to bed hungry. With a simple question that our mothers, friends and even colleagues ask – Khaana Khaaya Kya? – we want to harness the power of 1.4 Billion Indians. Imagine if each one of us asks a child Khaana Khaaya Kya – we are nourishing the dreams, the future of India.

Further, Manoj Bajpayee’s life story perfectly embodies the spirit of the Nand Ghar Movement. His journey from a young theatre actor to a celebrated star resonates with our message of ensuring holistic development for children to enable them to realise their dreams. Having faced hunger during his early career, he understands the struggles that children from underprivileged backgrounds endure. This lived experience, coupled with his immense public presence, makes him a credible voice for the cause and a powerful advocate for the importance of ensuring that every child has access to nutritious food and the chance to thrive.

How is the campaign being promoted and what has been the public response?

Through the simple question – Khaana Khaaya Kya – the goal was to resonate with a diverse audience and foster a sense of shared responsibility by evoking empathy and connecting with viewers on an emotional level, prompting them to take action.

Our Nand Ghar microsite www.nandghar.org acts as a central information hub, providing details about the project and offering ways to get involved such as donation, volunteering, and partnership. One can even experience Nand Ghars across India’s rich and diverse geography and see how we are working with the communities at the grassroots.

So far, we have received a fantastic response to the campaign with people contributing in large numbers. We’re also getting great interest from people from all walks of life for volunteering at our Nand Ghars as well as from like-minded organizations to partner with the movement.

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How will the committed Rs 5000 crore be used for social initiatives, especially Nand Ghar, in the next five years?

We have an ambitious goal of impacting over 100 million lives across rural India through initiatives like nutrition, education, women empowerment, and animal welfare. Currently through our 140 projects we are positively impacting over 45 million people annually.

AAF has pledged Rs. 5000 crores over five years with a vision of empowering communities, transforming lives, and facilitating nation-building through sustainable and inclusive growth. We are addressing critical areas including women and child development, community healthcare, building community infrastructure, livelihood through skilling for women and youth, animal welfare, drinking water & sanitation, sports as well as promoting art & culture.  In FY2023, with a CSR spend of INR 454 crore by Vedanta through its 140+ CSR projects, we positively touched the lives of a staggering 45 million people, translating to a direct impact on almost 4.4 million people across 1,268 Indian villages. These are real people with real dreams, and AAF is making a real difference in their journeys.

Nand Ghar, our flagship social impact project that aims to positively impact 7 crore children and 2 crore women across 13.7 lakh Anganwadis, forms a major part of our commitment.

The Animal Welfare Organisation (TACO)

Animal welfare is equally at the core of our endeavor to contribute towards a healthier environment for all. It was with this ‘One Health’ approach that we launched The Animal Care Organization (TACO) under the Foundation. TACO provides shelter services, veterinary services and training facilities to heal and protect animals.

We operate an animal shelter in Faridabad with OPD and ambulance services and have treated over 1,000 animals already. In a bid to boost wildlife conservation efforts, TACO in collaboration with Govt of Rajasthan is supporting Ranthambore National Park with anti-poaching measures and infrastructure. Additionally, TACO has also announced a grant of INR 1 crore to Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve to establish anti-poaching camps in the reserve.

Also Read: CSR: Hindustan Zinc Spends Rs. 269 Cr on Transformative Programs in FY 2023-24

What strategies are in place to encourage volunteer participation from all walks of life?

As part of the Nand Ghar movement, we are encouraging citizens from across the country to come forward and participate in the mission to transform lives of women and children. Through our microsite, everyone can register to volunteer at any of our Nand Ghars. We have provided them with an array of options for activities that they can engage with while being at the centres.

With focussed interventions in the fields of education, health, nutrition and women empowerment, volunteers have an array of causes to align with. After the volunteers complete their project, they will receive a certificate from Nand Ghar as a proof of their engagement with us. Through the movement, we have hundreds of volunteer requests that we are evaluating.

How will the long-term impact of the Nand Ghar project be measured?

The message relayed through #KhaanaKhaayaKya is an important initial step for the Nand Ghar Movement, acknowledging the need to combat malnourishment for a brighter future. As we garner support from citizens across the country, we hope to also augment education, skilling, and healthcare at the grassroots by building and creating more Nand Ghar across India. With the vision to transform all 13.7 Lakh Aganwaadis into Nand Ghars we aim to take our initiatives across every village in the country.

We are effectively raising awareness and gathering support for the larger movement, seeking collaboration from NGOs, like-minded corporations, and socially responsible citizens. Every contribution, whether volunteer time, resources, or partnerships, brings us closer to our aim.

Every action counts and will bring us closer to the dream of a Viksit Bharat.

What’s your perspective on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) today, and how does the Anil Agarwal Foundation align its initiatives with Vedanta’s core values?

Business has to be about more than profit. It must have a purpose. Working for the betterment of our communities and preserving the planet has to be central to business decisions. Sustainability today is at the core of most businesses. From sustainable fashion to natural farming to green mining, businesses understand that we cannot continue the indiscriminate and irresponsible use of natural resources. This will drive ESG to become mainstream in any business. While most organisations implement some part of ESG, either through CSR or people best practices, the holistic approach towards the environment, including animal welfare, communities and employees is gaining prominence and is here to stay.

At Vedanta, we view Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) not merely as a mandate but as the very essence of our business, rooted in sharing prosperity with the communities we serve.

The Anil Agarwal Foundation aims to strengthen rural communities through a sustainable and inclusive growth model. Our Chairman, my father, Mr. Anil Agarwal, has also joined The Giving Pledge and committed 75% of his wealth to social good. As we continue to be recognized as one of the most socially responsible corporations in the country, we are driven by a vision to create a better world for everyone through sustainable initiatives that leave a lasting impact.

(Copyright@India CSR)