Nita Ambani
Her Reliance Foundation has improved lives of 12 million people
When floods struck seven districts of Gujarat in July this year, Nita Ambani rushed to the spot. Reliance Foundation, of which she is chairperson,on, has since then adopted four among the worst-hit villages in Banaskantha ntha and Patan districts, pledging to rebuild them. In June, the foundation ion had taken up the task of improving health care services in Rajasthan, han, reducing reation maternal and neonatal mortality rates. Though the foundation was set up only seven years ago, Reliance Group has been engagedd in corporate social responsibility (CSR)-related activities for many more. ore. “I have been involved with these activities for over 25 years,” says Ambani.
Reliance Foundation works in the areas of rural transformation, on, eduarts, education, health care, sports for development, disaster response, the arts, heritage and culture, and urban renewal. “Mukesh (Ambani) andd I behe believe that social development is vital to build an inclusive India,” she says. “The foundation reviewed numerous social issues and causes es bemost before we narrowed down to these areas as we found them to be the most critical drivers that can impact national progress.” The Bharat-India dia Jodo programme, for example, helps small and marginal farmers improve mned their farming practices. Nita Ambani is particularly concerned about empowering women. Among the foundation’s initiatives is the Reliance Nutrition Garden programme, which supports poor ruralal women in growing nutritional vegetables in their backyards. “We e have been encouraged by the impact it has had,” she says.
The foundation, funded by the Reliance Group, spent `617 croreore in 2016/17 on various activities, lower than the spend in 2014/15. In all, it has so far made a difference to the lives of 12 million people. “Beyondyond the numbers, every life we have impacted has been a story of resilience,ence, self-reliance and aspiration for a better tomorrow,” says Ambani. ~