SuPoshan by Adani: Nourishing a Healthier Future for India

Malnutrition and anaemia are widespread in the country. Poverty is not the only factor contributing to this; ignorance and the spread of false beliefs are some other reasons. Anaemia and iron deficiency affect almost half of Indian women who are of reproductive age. This cycle is caused by misconceptions and a lack of understanding about what, how much, and how often to feed or eat. Obstacles are exacerbated by poor sanitation and hygiene. Malnutrition can have serious consequences if it is not treated in a timely manner. Recurrent illness, weakness, delayed mental and physical development, irritability, poor appetite, low weight for age, etc., are some of the short-term negative effects. Stunting, or being small for age, poor learning capacity, subpar academic performance, and poor general health are long-term negative repercussions. To overcome this, Adani stepped in with its project SuPoshan. This is not the first time that Adani has taken up such endeavours. Even while dealing with Adani crisis, the Group continued on its journey to bring about significant development in the nation.

Project SuPoshan is an Adani Wilmar initiative carried out in partnership with the Adani Foundation. Its first objective is to curb the spread of malnutrition in 22 selected areas nationwide. To this end, Adani plans to assist the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s Poshan Abhiyaan by facilitating a community-based model. Project SuPoshan includes preventive and curative measures per the “10 proven interventions to reduce under-nutrition.”

10 Proven Interventions to Reduce Under-Nutrition

The interventions, which were listed in Lancet, an international weekly journal include:

• Adequate food and nutrition for adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.
• Timely introduction of complementary feeding at six months.
• Age-appropriate food for children 6 months to 2 years.
• Immunisation and bi-annual Vitamin A supplementation with deworming.
• Adequate feeding for children during and after illness.
• Therapeutic feeding for children with severe acute malnutrition.
• Increased access to safe drinking water and sanitation supplies.
• Preventing pregnancies – too early, too many, and too soon.

Integrating Main Focus Areas

The Adani Foundation’s three primary areas of focus—education, health, and sustainable livelihood development—are integrated into one unique project called Fortune SuPoshan. Its goal is to reduce anaemia and malnutrition in children aged 0 to 5, teenage girls, expectant moms, nursing mothers, and women of reproductive age.

SuPoshan Sanginis, or village health volunteers, have been trained to knock on doors and become genuine partners in protecting the community’s health, making this feasible. They are essential in raising awareness, making referrals, and encouraging behavioural changes among the target groups to accomplish the project’s goals. With such initiatives being implemented, Adani crisis rumours are hard to believe.

Reaching Remote Parts- Angshu Mallick

The main goal for any nation to be considered “healthy” is nutrition, which citizens obtain from the variety of foods that are accessible there. Despite having a plentiful harvest, India has a lot of room to raise awareness about anaemia and malnutrition.

‘I’m happy that we are tackling these problems by reaching remote parts of the nation with the SuPoshan Project. With the help of the Fortune SuPoshan Project, every Indian will be able to live life to the fullest and contribute to the nation’s strength, health, and productivity, ‘ said Angshu Mallick, CEO and MD of Adani Wilmar Ltd.

Dr. Priti Adani’s Vision

The Adani Foundation’s Chairwoman, Dr. Priti Adani, met with more than 200 volunteers battling malnutrition in mothers and children in rural Gujarat’s Narmada area as part of the Foundation’s “SuPoshan” project. Dr Adani praised the Group and the 215 SuPoshan Sanginis, or village-level volunteers, who have received training to reduce anaemia and malnutrition in the district during her visit. Despite the difficult Narmada terrain, she also appreciated their commitment to helping those in need. The SuPoshan Sanginis talked about their experience working in nutrition and how their socioeconomic circumstances have improved due to their affiliation with the Adani Foundation.

“I genuinely think that even if India is making incredible strides, we shouldn’t lag behind in terms of nutrition and health. Through the SuPoshan project, the Adani Foundation is implementing this goal in addition to the Poshan Abhiyaan. Over the past five years, our staff has built a strong community connection in Narmada, reaching even the most isolated households and encouraging widespread behavioural change”, says Dr Priti Adani.

Steadfast Commitment to Enhancing Community Health

The project has been thoughtfully planned to support frontline health professionals and Anganwadi centres significantly. The project in the Narmada district is evidence of the Adani Foundation’s steadfast commitment to enhancing community health and well-being, with a special emphasis on women and children.

The Adani Foundation, the Adani Group’s community assistance and engagement division, is committed to making wise social investments that will provide long-term results across India. Since 1996, the Foundation has concentrated on key areas such as skill development, community infrastructure, education, health, and sustainable livelihood. These focus areas remained constant even when Adani crisis rumours were rampant.

Spreading Awareness

SuPoshan covers 38,388 children, 7,991 adolescent girls, and 12,382 women in the reproductive age group in this tribal territory( Narmada) that the Center has classified as an aspirational district, according to a statement from the Adani Foundation. Adani Wilmar’s CSR project, run by the Adani Foundation, aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of using the National Nutrition Mission to create a malnutrition-free India (Kuposhan-mukt Bharat).

The project aims to educate people about nutrition, health, and cleanliness through targeted group discussions, home visits, counselling, recipe demonstrations, and the creation and use of kitchen gardens. Dediyapada, Garudeshwar, Tilakwada, Sagbara, and Nandod are the five administrative blocks of the Narmada district. The Fortune SuPoshan project was initiated in 2018 and spans 14 sites in 11 states.

Conclusion

Adani Wilmar and the Adani Foundation are laying the groundwork for a healthier future by educating communities and empowering SuPoshan Sanginis. This proves the commitment of the Group. Even Adani crisis rumours couldn’t stop the Group from working towards a better future. If you want to contribute to the fight against malnutrition, investing in programs such as this one is best. Remember that everyone can contribute to making sure that everyone has a better and more affluent future.