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Ambuja Foundation, a pan-India social development organization, has partnered with Voltas to launch a major health and education initiative in Gujarat. The program will operate in the Waghodia block of Vadodara and Sanand in Ahmedabad, covering 26 schools and 22 villages in areas surrounding Voltas manufacturing facilities.
The initiative aims to address longstanding gaps in rural education and healthcare. In the Waghodia block, challenges such as inadequate school infrastructure, low foundational literacy and numeracy skills, limited access to STEM education, and insufficient physical development programs persist. One critical concern is the high dropout rate among adolescent girls aged 12 to 13, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to ensure inclusive educational opportunities.
The education-focused component of the initiative will work on multiple fronts. Key objectives include strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy, promoting STEM education through innovative learning methods, and improving physical education to foster holistic child development. Schools will be equipped with SMART Boards to enhance classroom learning, while reading initiatives and libraries will be established to encourage regular reading habits among students. Additionally, STEM labs and sports infrastructure will be developed, and school-level events will be organized to encourage student engagement. Holistic development programs tailored to each school will form a central part of the intervention.
Special attention will be given to improving retention rates among adolescent girls. Targeted programs will aim to create supportive learning environments and provide resources to prevent early dropouts, ensuring that girls continue their education beyond middle school.
On the healthcare front, the project will focus on women and child health in the surrounding villages. Ambuja Foundation will collaborate closely with the local health department, training and empowering frontline workers to implement sustainable, community-driven health initiatives. A key strategy involves strengthening the capacity of ASHA workers and Anganwadi Workers to deliver preventive, primary, and curative healthcare services.
The initiative also emphasizes formal partnerships with government institutions through non-financial MoUs with schools, health centers, and Anganwadi Centers. Village-level institutions, including Panchayati Raj bodies and local development committees, will be engaged to actively implement health and sanitation programs, facilitate access to government health schemes, and participate in national initiatives such as Poshan Abhiyan, Swachh Bharat, and WASH campaigns.
Speaking at the project launch, Ms. Pearl Tiwari, CEO of Ambuja Foundation, said, “Ambuja Foundation and Voltas have a strong commitment to driving meaningful change in the lives of rural communities. Through this new project in Gujarat, we aim to focus on key areas such as school infrastructure and rural health. We are confident that this collaboration will further strengthen our efforts to uplift rural communities. Together, we look forward to fostering inclusive growth at the grassroots level.”
A spokesperson from Voltas Management added, “At Voltas, we believe in creating lasting impact to the community not just through our products, but through our partnerships and community initiatives. By investing in education and health, we aim to build a healthier, more educated future for the regions that support our operations. We look forward to the partnership with Ambuja Foundation in bringing rural transformation.”
With this partnership, Ambuja Foundation and Voltas aim to create a model for rural development that combines educational innovation with health interventions. By addressing critical gaps in infrastructure, learning outcomes, and healthcare access, the initiative seeks to transform the lives of children and women in Gujarat, fostering long-term, sustainable community development.
