National, December 2024: Nand Ghar, the flagship initiative of AAF, marked a momentous year of growth and impact. This transformative project, dedicated to improving the lives of women and children in rural communities, made significant strides in advancing its mission of holistic development. So far, Nand Ghar has upgraded over 6,600 anganwadi centers across 15 states. The initiative supports over 2,60,000 children and 1,90,000 women, making strides toward empowering communities and driving sustainable change.
The year began with The Vedanta Culture Festival in February, held at Dilli Haat. It celebrated India’s artistic heritage with a vibrant display of crafts and cultural traditions. Organized by Vedanta and AAF, the festival brought together artisans from across the country, offering a rich experience of India’s diverse artistry. Ms. Rajni Rathor and Mr. Shyam Singh Rathor, associated with Nand Ghar in Jaipur, showcased candle-making as part of the Samota Mata Self Help Group. This initiative empowered women artisans, fostering skill development and entrepreneurship.
Nand Ghar also served as the Social Impact Partner at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2024, showcasing its efforts to improve early childhood education, health, and nutrition, particularly for rural women and children. At the festival, AAF introduced the ‘Nand Ghar Bagaan’, a vibrant experience centre celebrating India’s cultural diversity that featured skill development workshops on activities like Candle Making, Block Printing, Puppetry, and cooking indigenous recipes such as millet laddoos, empowering local women and highlighting the role of women’s Self-Help Groups.
In May, Nand Ghar launched the ‘Khaana Khaaya Kya’ campaign featuring Manoj Bajpayee to make child nutrition a national priority. It aimed to drive public action through donations, volunteering, and partnerships. The renowned actor joined the movement as its first ever ambassador, helping spread the message that “no child should go to bed hungry” to Indian households. A simple question, “Khaana Khaaya Kya?” sought to inspire 1.4 billion Indians to nourish the dreams of India’s future. Over 600 volunteers participated, and the movement garnered significant support through partnerships and monetary contributions.
Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Chairperson, Hindustan Zinc Ltd., and Non-Executive Director, Vedanta remarked, “This year has been a significant one for us as we expanded our impact in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, transforming over 6,600 Anganwadis into vibrant Nand Ghars across 15 states, touching the lives of thousands of women and children. I’m thankful for all the partnerships, volunteers, and everyone who contributed to the efforts of taking the Nand Ghar Movement forward. As we look ahead, we remain committed to scaling these efforts and creating lasting change for India’s future generations as we continue our journey of positively impacting 7 crore children and 2 crore women.”
Following the success of the multi-millet nutri bar that was distributed last year to combat malnourishment amongst children, AAF observed Poshan Maah 2024 in September with a two-phase “millet shake” distribution program across Nand Ghars. These protein-dense, dairy-free shakes are rich in 23 essential vitamins and minerals, designed to provide long-lasting nutritional support to children. With the aim to facilitate supplementary nutrition, Nand Ghar introduced these shakes to promote the intake of millets in the daily diet. In the first phase, over 50,000 shakes were distributed to 6,000 children in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand. In the second phase, the program expanded to Punjab, Karnataka, and Goa, where over 52,500 millet shakes were shared with 12,500 children.
From enhancing nutrition and education to skill development and cultural empowerment, Nand Ghar’s efforts in 2024 have been a testament to AAF’s commitment to creating lasting social change.
Over the course of the year, extensive focus was on the state of Rajasthan wherein more than 550 Nand Ghars were developed across 6 districts bringing the footprint to a total of around 3500 across 15 districts. With the commitment of upgrading a total of 25,000 Nand Ghars in the state, over the next 2 years, the initiative aims to create a lasting impact on the lives of children and women by fostering nutrition, education, healthcare, and women empowerment in Rajasthan’s rural communities.
In Odisha, AAF seeks to develop 700 Nand Ghars in Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, and Raygada districts. Towards this end, AAF also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the District Social Welfare Office (DSWO) to upgrade 500 Anganwadi centers across Jharsuguda district into state-of-the-art Nand Ghar.
Nand Ghar project will also see expansion in other states, including Maharashtra (Thane, Gadhchiroli, and Vardha districts), Andhra Pradesh (Visakhapatnam and Nellore), Chhattisgarh (Sakti District), and Rajasthan (Udaipur, Rajsamand, and Barmer).
The Nand Ghar initiative continues to be a cornerstone of Vedanta’s commitment to social responsibility, focusing on sustainable development that addresses the needs of the most vulnerable populations in India. With these new expansions, the foundation is poised to significantly enhance the quality of life for millions more children and women, ensuring a healthier and more prosperous future for India’s next generation. Celebrating 50 years of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) in 2025, Nand Ghar intends to lead the way towards establishing the ideal model for anganwadis and help pave the way for a brighter and a better future.
