Mumbai, July 2022: Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF), the philanthropic arm of world’s leading natural resources conglomerate Vedanta Group, has launched a global volunteering program aimed at imbibing cross-cultural learnings at Nand Ghars.

Project Nand Ghar, the flagship initiative of AAF, welcomed the international volunteers from UK and Columbia to their modernised anganwadi centres for a four-week stint and an immersive experience in women and child development. The first batch of four volunteers will join the project at Jaipur in Rajasthan, a state with the strongest network of 1300+ Nand Ghar centers.

During their stay, the volunteers will interact with the local community, learn about the project and experience the vibrant culture of India. For the beneficiaries of the Nand Ghar, this volunteering programme will open up new educational avenues and provide a glimpse of international practices.

Speaking on this unique initiative, Ms. Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Director, Vedanta Limited said, “Through this program, we look forward to hosting passionate and talented volunteers from across the globe to our Nand Ghars. Their invaluable experience and inputs will expand the horizon of the Nand Ghar program and will also help us enhance our services through cross learning by adopting global best practices.”

The volunteers will engage with the children and women through various anganwadi activities. They will take active part in daily teaching and learning sessions on English language, arts and arithmetic skills amongst the children. The program will also allow them to interact with women and adolescent girls to spread awareness about health and hygiene. They will attend the village level meetings and interact with community leadership.

The global volunteering program is the outcome of a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Anil Agarwal Foundation and the Agency of Intercultural and Inter-Exchange (AII). The AII foundation onboards international volunteers, who wish to gain international understanding and promote cultural awareness.

Vedanta’s Nand Ghar initiative is committed to fulfilling the Prime Minister’s vision of eradicating child malnutrition, empowering women and providing quality education and healthcare facilities. Currently, there are about 3350 Nand Ghars located in 13 states of India, helping over 1,30,000 children and 1,00,000 women beneficiaries in improving their standard of living and securing their future. The Vedanta Group has also signed an MoU with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for achieving a unified goal of eradicating malnourishment from rural India.