Adani Foundation to set-up women-led organisation

Surat : Adani Foundation’s Hazira division has made significant strides in empowering local tribal women over the past two years by forming self-help groups (SHGs) and facilitating savings and small-scale activities. This initiative, which has impacted the lives of 500 tribal women in Umarpada, received a major boost on the eighth day of the Navratri festival when Gujarat CSR Head of Adani Foundation, Panktiben Shah, announced the creation of a women-led organization to enhance livelihood opportunities for these women.

After participating in Garba celebrations with the tribal women, Panktiben Shah revealed the foundation’s plans to establish a new organization managed entirely by women. The organization will focus on producing and marketing local products such as pickles, papads, and agricultural goods. “We are committed to helping these women develop sustainable income sources by offering them support in product development, packaging, and branding,” Shah said during the announcement.

In addition to creating the organization, Adani Foundation has provided extensive training to these women over the last two years. This includes kitchen gardening initiatives where 500 women received training in growing winter and summer crops. The women were also provided with seed and fertilizer kits to help boost productivity. Moving forward, the foundation will collaborate with the District Village Development Agency and RCT to provide further training in enhancing the quality of products, as well as branding and marketing.

The primary occupations of these women include agriculture and animal husbandry, but they often face challenges in securing fair prices for their produce. To address this, the foundation will help the women improve the grading, cleaning, and packaging of farm products like pulses and maize. Efforts are also being made to increase the market value of these goods by 25%, ensuring the women receive better returns on their hard work.

Additionally, the organization will work closely with local dairy producers to promote better coordination and offer training on vaccinating livestock to protect against diseases. The initiative also includes a focus on promoting the use of solar energy for both agricultural and domestic purposes, reducing reliance on traditional energy sources and fostering sustainability.

Through these measures, Adani Foundation aims to create long-term, self-sustaining income opportunities for the women of Umarpada, helping them to secure a better future for their families and communities.