Dear Friends, A very happy Diwali to you and your loved ones. May the festival of light brighten our lives and bring peace, positivity and prosperity. The founding fathers of our Company believed in making a meaningful impact on the lives of those around us through empowerment. This vision led to the establishment of Urmi in 1953 — an initiative aimed at empowering women in and around Atul — just one year after our first plants were commissioned. Continuing this legacy, Atul Foundation conducts various initiatives to uplift local communities. In this issue, we share the recent efforts of the Foundation toward empowerment. July- September 2024 | Volume 2, Issue 1 UDAY Foreword Index 1. Foreword 2. Project updates 3. Institutions 4. Impact stories Stories from Atul 5. 6. Sanjeevani 1 ...................... 1 ...................... 3 ...................... 5 ...................... 7 ...................... 7 ...................... 8 Atul Institute of Vocational Excellence, a public-private partnership initiative of Atul with the Development Support Agency of Gujarat, Tribal Development Department, Government of Gujarat, under the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana, empowers tribal youth through vocational courses and provides placement opportunities. Additionally, Atul Rural Development Fund supports communities near Atul village by offering skill development courses. These programs equip participants with essential skills, creating livelihood opportunities. Together, these institutes have impacted the lives of over 18,000 students to date. Atul Foundation wishes you a happy Diwali.
2 Through Godaan project, Atul Foundation provides cows and calves to tribal families, offering an additional source of income to help improve their living conditions. A total of 375 cows and calves have been provided to tribal families in Gujarat and Odisha, along with training in scientific cattle management practices. In 2024, we launched Adhikar project, to help rural communities access essential government services, such as the Ayushman card and ration card. The project team assists with the enrolment of these schemes, ensures that everyone receives the scheme related documents and also explains how to avail the benefits of the scheme. To date, 17,852 individuals have been linked with 19 different government schemes. Together, we strive to create a brighter future for all by empowering communities and fostering self-reliance. Atul Uttara project successfully established self-help groups for women, providing them with a platform to support one another and become the strength of each other. A total of 586 self-help groups have been formed, empowering 2,136 women to collectively save ₹ 79.12 lakhs. Internal lending within these groups ensures a safe credit system for members. These groups are also trained to start small businesses such as jewellery making and soap making.
Moving towards independent beginnings... An exposure visit to a jute bag processing unit was conducted for 17 women associated with self-help groups of Valsad. Based in Ankleshwar, this processing unit is run by a self-help group mentored by Aatapi Foundation. The women who visited the unit are already undergoing training in making jute bags. The visit was conducted to understand the model of the processing unit and implement the same to begin their own independent unit in Valsad. 83 self-help groups | 970 women | 16 villages Distributing notebooks in support of education Atul Rural Development Fund provided over 18,000 notebooks and stationery to 4,430 students of 35 schools in 18 villages. Every year ARDF provides education kits to schools to support the education of these children. 35 schools | 4,430 students Visiting Atul vidyamandir, EMRS Pardi Shri Kuber Dindor, Education Minister of Gujarat visited Eklavya Model Residential School, Pardi (Atul Vidyamandir managed by Atul Vidyalaya Trust) on July 1, 2023. He interacted with the students and teachers to encourage them to continue working toward a brighter future. Visiting Atul vidyamandir, EMRS Pardi Shri Kuber Dindor, Education Minister of Gujarat visited Eklavya Model Residential School, Pardi (Atul Vidyamandir managed by Atul Vidyalaya Trust) on July 1, 2023. He interacted with the students and teachers to encourage them to continue working toward a brighter future. Project updates Mobile science laboratory A science fair was conducted by the Adhigam project team at DCO Sarvajanik School, Pardi. The fair displayed 32 science models demonstrated by 64 trained young instructors. These models provide information on scientific concepts in a fun and interactive way. The fair was attended by about 1,000 students and 25 teachers. Adhigam project promotes science education among students by bringing a mobile van equipped with science models to 20 schools in Valsad district. Project outreach: 20 schools 3 Adhikar People often find it challenging to apply for government schemes and benefits due to complicated paperwork. Atul Foundation bridges the gap between these schemes and their intended beneficiaries by offering assistance to educate them and supporting them to apply. The team helps with documentation, verification and the application processes, guiding them at every step till they receive the benefit. Project outreach: 17,852 people | 19 government schemes Sampoorna Team Sampoorna hosted various activities tailored to different age groups, raising awareness about self-care and wellness. September was celebrated as the nutrition month with a focus on anaemia and nutrition. 1,988 adolescent boys and girls screened and educated about anaemia 393 women in nearby villages screened and educated about anaemia 268 students trained as peer educators 150 parents of Atul Vidyalaya trained on right nutrition for children 22 health workers trained on nutrition and overall health of women
Ojas On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Atul Foundation organised a value education session for 500 children from Atul and nearby villages. The session featured inspiring stories about Mahatma Gandhi and lessons from his life. In conclusion, the children took a pledge to lead their lives with honesty and integrity. Project outreach: 186 children Ujjwal Atul Ujjwal Atul, our waste management project has signed a memorandum of understanding with 59 additional villages in South Gujarat, expanding the coverage of the project to 90 villages. Atul Foundation team visits individual households to promote waste segregation at home and provides training to sanitation workers appointed by the village panchayats for waste collection and processing. Project outreach: 90 villages Children park A children park was constructed at Chichwada village to provide a joyful environment to children living in and around the village. The park is equipped with a colourful playstation. Project outreach: three children parks 4
Representing EMRS, Pardi Representing the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) of Gujarat, two students from EMRS, Pardi (Atul Vidyamandir) had the honour of meeting The Honourable President, Smt Droupadi Murmu during the Independence Day celebrations in Delhi. As a token of appreciation, The Honourable President personally presented the students a memento with tribal Warli paintings. Seven students from Eklavya Model Residential Schools, Pardi (Atul Vidyamandir), secured admissions to various National Institutes of Technology (NITs) after clearing the JEE Advanced exam. Institutions Mesmerising Indian classical music Renowned Santoor maestro Pandit Satish Vyas visited Atul Vidyalaya, where he performed on the Santoor accompanied by Pandit Mukund Raj Doe on tabla. He also engaged with the students, explaining the differences between Western music and Indian classical music. 5 Imparting soft skills training Atul Rural Development Fund conducted soft skill sessions for the students of Industrial Training Institute, Pardi. The activity-based training sessions are designed to boost confidence, enhance career growth and prepare the students for interviews. Securing admission in reputed institutions
Addressing rural healthcare needs A mega health camp was organised by Atul Rural Development Fund in collaboration with Atul Foundation Health Center to provide essential medical care. 715 patients from nearby villages participated in the camp. It featured nine specialist doctors, including a gynaecologist, dermatologist, dentist, orthopaedist, physiotherapist, paediatrician and ophthalmologist. Distributing education kits Atul Rural Development Fund distributed 4,493 education kits among students of 35 schools. This year, the theme of the printed notebooks was imparting awareness of waste management among young students. Celebrating cultural identities Providing healthcare facilities Atul Foundation Health Center commissioned X-ray and eco-cardiology facilities. With state-of-the-art equipment, the center aims to serve the community better. On the occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples (Adivasi Diwas), celebrations were held at Atul Institute of Vocational Excellence on August 09, 2024. This day honours the indigenous tribal communities, known as Adivasis, who are recognised as the original inhabitants of the country. 6
Securing future of children Naksha Naiya lived in challenging conditions at home, which made studying and attending school difficult. The Ojas team persuaded his family to admit him to Parodh Balashram where he will have a safe and healthy environment to grow and develop. After persistent efforts, his parents admitted Naksh in the Balasharam where he is happily studying in grade three. Migrant workers keep moving between cities in search of work, as a result, their children often suffer due to lack of access to formal education. To address this issue, Atul Foundation initiated basic reading and writing classes for the children of migrant workers community residing in Atul village. These children are also encouraged to practise health and hygiene. Impact stories Providing safe spaces to children Vaishali Patel, a beneficiary of the Ojas project, struggled with her living conditions during the monsoon season due to the lack of a concrete floor, and broken windows and doors. The heavy rains left her without a proper place to sleep or cook. Atul Foundation team stepped in to help by constructing a concrete floor and repairing doors and windows to ensure her safety. Now, she sits comfortably on her new floor, preparing for her Grade 11 examinations. 7 Stories from Atul village
Atul Foundation conducted a mega tree plantation drive planting 1,25,019 trees with the help of more than 17,000 volunteers from nine countries. Atul Foundation team planted 22,000 trees of 30 native species in a single day to develop a Miyawaki forest in Atul village. Miyawaki forests grow rapidly, increasing soil and forest biodiversity, carbon sequestration and forest resilience. These trees were carefully planted next to each other to strengthen mutual support and were provided with compost. Healing earth Sanjeevani 8 Atul Foundation is nurturing seven Miyawaki forests with a total of 47,500 trees to protect the environment. Miyawaki forest
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