Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Axis Bank Foundation reaches out to 1000+ villages, Creating sustainable livelihoods opportunities

Axis Bank Foundation (ABF) and Navin Chandra Mafatlal Sadguru Water and Development Foundation (N M Sadguru Foundation) have successfully reached out to over 1000+ villages across Gujarat and Rajasthan to implement a sustainable livelihood project in the region. ABF and N M Sadguru Foundation focused on the promotion and sustenance of livelihood among the socio-economically deprived section of the population. This was done through integrated natural resource management with emphasis on water resources development, institution development, enhancing agriculture productivity and diversifying income streams through community participation. The project has been able to reach over 80,000+ households still date.

ABF board members – S Ramadorai, Chairperson; Dhruvi Shah, Executive Trustee & CEO and the Trustees – Som Mittal, Rajesh Dahiya and Sheela Patel visited the project sites in Punsri and Chosala in Dahod and Vandeli Panchmahal district, Gujarat, to review the progress of the project. They interacted with the farmers, nursery entrepreneurs and participant households, who have benefitted from the various ABF-supported initiatives. They also met the Panchayat leaders to understand the challenges and way forward.

ABF has partnered with N M Sadguru Foundation to make support the community to enhance their livelihoods. A recent impact assessment of the project revealed that –

• Women collectives have been actively participating in community development.

• Check dams led to better availability of groundwater –  Living conditions improved due to the availability of water.

• Agriculture yield increased owing to the use of better technology, solar-based lift irrigation and access to better irrigation facilities.

• Distress migration is reduced owing to better farm and non-farm income.

• Non-farm income is boosted due to alternate livelihood practices such as vegetable cultivation.

Speaking on the project, S Ramadorai, Chairperson, Axis Bank Foundation said, “It is heartening to share the significant work done by the Axis Bank Foundation, in partnership with the NM Sadguru Water and Development Foundation, in providing irrigation to the arid regions of the district of Dahod. The best part of this initiative is that we are using a bottom-up community-based approach in addressing the local challenges, so that the people impacted by the problems become the stakeholders in problem-solving. We hope to scale up this initiative in other water-stressed areas with the unwavering support of the NM Sadguru Foundation. This year we also reached the milestone of 10 years of community-centric work with sustained focus on livelihood initiatives that has positively impacted the lives of over a million families across various regions in the country. At the Axis Bank Foundation, we strongly believe that through effective convergence of capital, innovation and community engagement, we will be able to integrate the underserved communities into the economy, thereby building an inclusive and sustainable future.”

During the visit, Dhruvi Shah, Executive Trustee and CEO, Axis Bank Foundation said, “Over the past decade, Axis Bank Foundation has evolved in its mission to enhance livelihoods for rural communities. We want to create not just surviving but thriving communities. This can only be achieved by constantly listening to the community’s voices and civil society partners. With partners such as N M Sadguru, we hope to become collaborators of the cause with them and together bring sustainable change across individual lives, families, communities and geographies.

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