ASK Foundation

The ASK Group also believes in building a legacy of social progress. A legacy that empowers people and uplifts communities. This belief led to the genesis of ASK Foundation in 2008 - the corporate social responsibility arm of ASK Group.

The ASK Foundation works on developing livelihoods by collaborating with social entrepreneurs and NGOs by supporting them on a financial and capacity building basis to help scale and execute their ongoing projects.

MISSION

To empower rural communities to be prosperous, self-reliant and develop communities

VISION

Enabling better livelihoods and increase infrastructure capacities of rural communities in India through development and enhancements of key resources such as Water, Agriculture & other means of Livelihoods, Education, Health & Sanitation, Financial Inclusion, Women Empowerment, Skill Development of Youth, and the Conservation of Biodiversity

OUR PROJECT

SAMRUDDHA KISAN INITIATIVE

We believe that comprehensive socio-economic development of villages will be a key driver of growth in India. Keeping this belief in mind, we have partnered with BAIF Institute for Sustainable Livelihoods and Development (BISLD) to work in the villages of Sayade, Jogalwadi, Karol and Pachghar in Mokhada Block, Palghar district, Maharashtra.

Through the Samruddha Kisan Initiative, ASK Foundation is focusing on the causes of Water, Agriculture & Livelihood, Education, Livestock Development, Health & Sanitation, Women Empowerment, Skill Development for Youth, Financial Inclusion, Community Development, and Promotion of Biodiversity.

OUR REACH

4 villages, 18 hamlets
1069 Households
4793 Beneficiaries

OUR INTERVENTIONS

HEALTH & WELLNESS:

ASK Foundation continues its efforts in helping and caring of Covid-19 patients. The second wave of Covid-19 had seen a sharp increase in patients and so was the increase in severity. In many cases Oxygen was key in saving lives.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

ASK Foundation handed over Jumbo Oxygen Cylinders (47 liters capacity) with flow meters to the District Administration at Jawhar Cottage Hospital, Palghar District. This gesture was with the intention of helping Covid-19 patients who required Oxygen.

"We thank ASK Foundation for sending 20 jumbo oxygen cylinders with flow meters to Jawhar."

Mr. Sandeep Pawar, Sub Divisional Officer and Deputy Collector – Jawhar

DRINKING WATER & IRRIGATION:

The ASK Foundation worked with Social Entrepreneurs and NGOs so that 35 Hectare area was treated for water harvesting through bunding, counter trenching, etc. Thus, providing one of the fundamental necessities i.e. CLEAN WATER.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

3 dams desilted
136 drip irrigation systems & tanks set-up
80 Jal Kunds and 26 Farm Ponds created
4 solar lift irrigation systems installed
11 wells dug

AGRICULTURE & LIVELIHOOD:

The ASK Foundation worked with its implementation partner supporting farmers on a financial wellbeing. The program included capacity building with greater access to techniques such as paddy cultivation and moisture cropping, vegetable, and jasmine cultivation; empowering them and entire communities.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

166 farmers associated for Jasmine cultivation
311 farmers associated for Vegetable Cultivation
500 farmers associated for Improved Paddy Cultivation & Moisture cropping

The Agricultural and Livelihood initiative also encouraged villagers to adapt to alternative methods such as Wadi Cultivation (Two or more crops strategically selected for intercropping) and setting up plus assisting in the running of equipment banks and better livestock development practices empowering them and entire communities.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

155 families now practising Wadi Cultivation
5 Equipment banks set up for modern tools & equipment
18 goat owner groups covering 126 families associated for improved Livestock Development Practices

The ASK Foundation worked with its implementation partner supporting farmers by empowering them and entire communities in one of the village's ongoing Conservation efforts of the Sacred Forest (Devrai). Kitchen Gardens were also set-up to promote growth and consumption of nutritious food and minimise the exploitation of natural resources.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

12 landless families supported for Enterprise Development (Saloon, Carpenter, Tailor, Shop keeper, Rice Mill, Snake catcher)
Conservation efforts at the Sacred Forest (Devrai) which is home for rare flora and fauna (29 species planted across the sacred forest)
1069 kitchen gardens sets up

ACCESS TO EDUCATION:

474 children impacted through various educational initiatives To empower present & future generation of individuals and communities by enhancing reach and access to education, we collaborated with social entrepreneurs and NGOs, supporting them on a financial and capacity building basis in the following major projects:

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Refurbished and repaired 3 anganwadis and 2 schools
Cycle Library initiated in 3 schools with 15 cycles to help children as they often have to walk long distances to reach school

The ASK Foundation works on developing livelihoods by collaborating with social entrepreneurs and NGOs, supporting them on a financial and capacity building basis, empowering individuals and communities.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Programme initiated to make digital banking accessible to villagers at their doorstep. 62 home visits were made and over 235 farmers were benefited by E-Dost

Under our Educational initiative, we began the 'Password' campaign, a subscription-based education program that supplements the existing education system. Magazines in the local language ie Marathi are given to the students to promote the habit of reading. These are aimed at standard 5 to 10 and cover topics on environment, civic matters, democratic values, scientific temperament, poems, stories, general knowledge, current affairs, etc

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

400 children from 4 schools benefited from Password program promoting the habit of reading. These magazines will go into the library and be passed on to future batches going forward.

INFRASTRUCTURE

As part of the ongoing developmental work towards providing better living condition, capacity building, empowering individuals and communities, our initiative of Enhancing Infrastructure resulted in:

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Clean kitchen programme initiated for 769 families
1069 LED lights distributed
33 street lights installed

PAST PROJECTS

COVID-19 Intervention: July 2020

The year 2020 has been a challenging year for humanity with a worldwide pandemic that brought our lives to a halt. During this time ASK Foundation wanted to contribute on the ground where impact could be real, hence we partnered with Indian Development Foundation (IDF). The objective of this project was to augment the infrastructure at Holy Spirit Hospital, Mumbai (Andheri-E) with additional Ventilators & High Flow Nasal Oxygen Machines at their ICU at a commitment of Rs. 1 crore. Through our CSR initiative, 9 Ventilators and 3 High Flow Nasal Oxygen Machines were installed. This helped the hospital staff fight COVID on a daily basis.

As of February 2021, the ventilators have benefited 244 patients and the High Flow Nasal Oxygen Machine installed have benefited 47 patients.

Our initiative will continue to help the hospital staff fight COVID and will help save many more lives in the years to come. To know more, view the video.

Cyclone Nisarga Disaster Relief Work: June 2020

Cyclone Nisarga ravaged multiple districts of Maharashtra causing massive damage to crops and infrastructure. Seeing this immense need, ASK Foundation decided to respond by supporting the restoration of education institutions.

Accordingly, 6 institutions in Mangaon & Srivardhan Blocks of Raigad District were identified and we worked with our partner Vanarai to refurbish and restore them. Through this initiative, 910 students will benefit and given the good quality of repair work, it will sustain for a long period of time.

Additionally, ASK Foundation also supported repairs of the Gram Panchayat office which is now fully operational.