EDITOR’S SYNOPSIS
· Adani Foundation helped Manju Kumari of Samlapur village start a paper plate-making business.
· A homemaker with no prior experience, she now contributes Rs. 2,000 monthly to the family income.
· Her earnings have enabled better schooling for her children and inspired financial self-reliance.
ACC, the cement and building materials company of the diversified Adani Portfolio, along with the Adani Foundation, is fostering economic inclusion in villages like Samlapur through livelihood opportunities for rural women. By supporting self-help groups (SHGs), with income-generating resources, the initiative is empowering homemakers to become contributors to household income and decision-making.
One such example is Manju Kumari, a 30-year-old mother of two with a strong desire to support her children’s education. In 2024, her SHG, Ma Jagdamba ASM, received a paper plate-making machine through support from the Foundation. Though new to entrepreneurship, Manju quickly learned to operate the machine and manage production with other members. The unit now earns around Rs. 10,000 a month, with Manju taking home a share of Rs. 2,000.
This additional income enabled her to enrol her children in Jharkhand Public School, a reputed CBSE-affiliated institution—an important step toward ensuring them a brighter future. Manju’s story reflects the quiet but powerful shift that can occur when women are given the tools and trust to pursue their aspirations.
By enabling local enterprise and promoting women-led progress, ACC is helping build financially resilient communities where every household has the potential to rise.