EDITOR’S SYNOPSIS
· Ambuja Cements has enabled the holistic progress of Mehboob Ali and family from Marwar Mundwa, Rajasthan through multi-sectoral CSR initiatives.
· Through training at Ambuja’s SEDI Nagaur, each family member is now skilled, employed, or self-employed and contributing to a sustainable household income.
· This exemplifies how coordinated interventions in livelihood, skill-building, and resource access can drive inclusive rural transformation.
Ambuja Cements, the 9th largest building materials solutions company globally, and part of the diversified Adani Portfolio, continues to transform rural lives through its integrated CSR interventions. The story of Mr. Mehboob Ali and his family from Marwar Mundwa, Rajasthan, stands as a powerful example of how access to skills, livelihood opportunities, and basic infrastructure can drive lasting change.
Mehboob’s family depended entirely on rain-fed farming on just 1 bigha (0.160 Ha) of land. To meet the family’s basic needs, Mehboob also worked as a daily wage labourer. Determined to improve his livelihood, Mehboob enrolled in the three-month ‘Mason Training Course’ in 2005 at the Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Institute (SEDI), Nagaur, supported by Ambuja Cements’ CSR arm. After completing the training, he began working as a small civil contractor, gradually growing his business and today earns around ₹50,000 per month, continuing to associate with Ambuja Foundation as a contractor in community projects.
In 2015, the family benefited with a 5,000-litre Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting Structure (RRWHS), ensuring year-round access to clean drinking water and eliminating the hardship of fetching water from distant ponds by the women of the family.
The same year, Mehboob’s elder son, Aslam, completed training in the ‘Retail Associate’ trade at SEDI Nagaur and now working at Ambuja Cements’ Marwar Mundwa Plant, earning ₹18,000 monthly. His younger son, Azruddin, is currently undergoing skill training in ‘Assistant Electrician’ trade at SEDI Nagaur to start his own career soon as an electrician. Meanwhile, Mehboob’s wife, Mrs. Kheruna, joined the ‘Firoza’ Self-Help Group (SHG) in 2020 and revived their traditional cotton quilt business. With a small loan amount of Rs. 30,000, she began producing quilts and mattresses, and supplementing her income through stitching work.
Today, every adult member of the Mehboob family is skilled and financially independent, reflecting the transformative impact of Ambuja Cements’ multi-sectoral CSR approach. By integrating livelihood enhancement, women empowerment, and water sustainability, Ambuja Cements continues to build resilient and self-reliant rural communities across India.