Tag: M3M Foundation

Lives that deserve to be Re-Constructed…

Article by Dr. Payal Kanodia,Trustee, M3M Foundation.

Indubitably, the construction sector holds an ancestral tradition of providing employment to migrant labour and the number of workers recruited on a wage basis is huge. It is no news that the construction industry, with its unending demand for unskilled labour, ultimately provides employment to a major chunk of the migrant work force. Often, considering all factors, they are given a step-motherly treatment.

Currently, the estimate tells a daunting story; In our nation, 350 million workers are in the unorganised sector, out of which 50%, i.e., close to 175 million are in the construction industry.

As per the Economic survey conducted in 2017, Around5 to 6 million people migrated annually over the last decade. As per the government of India, the construction sector constitutes 9 percent of the GDP. The entry of the migrants into the labour market isn’t alien to challenges and shortcomings. More often than not, the labour lacks proper shelter, food, sanitation, safety & health care.

Known for celebrating the triumph of the past labour movement,Labour Day led to creation of a significant number of decision-making organizations, with the sole purpose of carefully scrutinising and looking into the regulations and rights of the workers.

Even in presence of multiple boards and bodies carefully looking into this aspect, according to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, only 2.2% of the construction workers manage to avail some kind of social security benefits. Adding to this, according to a survey conducted by an organisation at grass root level in the month of March, 2020; 94 percent of labourers didn’t have BOCW cards, making them ineligible for availing any perks. Further, 14% didn’t have ration cards and 17% didn’t have bank accounts.

Having been an active part of the construction business fraternity for quite some time now, I did cross paths with these aforementioned statistics and conditions that the workers go through on a day-to-day basis. We as a family always had an intent that constantly kept pricking us day in and day out. This was when the seed of M3M Foundation was cast. We designed various programmes, initiatives and interventions and left no stone unturned in validating the construction workers that come what may, there is a better tomorrow waiting for them even amidst trying times.

As we began working with them, we were exposed to problems that were a lot more deep-rooted and a matter of immediate concern. We learnt that we couldn’t confine our hands to just the construction workers but extending our support to their children and their families also became a matter of priority. Thus, ‘iMpower’ was initiated with the sole purpose of providing welfare to the construction workers and their families. Presently, 714 families are directly linked with the programme and its intent, 600 children are getting academically benefited out of the same, 350 women & youth have acquired knowledge and exposure of various skill development activities. Moreover, 5000 individuals benefitted from the frequent health camps conducted and organised at different construction sites.

During the covid outbreak, under our meticulously designed programme, ‘Kartavya,’ we provided cooked food & dry ration for approximately 2,00,000 construction workers and families during the 1st wave of the pandemic. To retain the workers and in order to instil a sense of assurance in them, we syndicated with ISKCON and started “POSHAN,” wherein, in the last one year, close to 1 million meals were catered to the construction workers in Gurgaon. The motive was to not let our beloved workers go to sleep with an empty stomach and to ensure that their food consumption levels do not deteriorate at any cost, which would otherwise lead to adverse impacts on their health.

It was our moral duty to take care of people who incessantly lent their services in constructing homes for us. So here came a situation wherein we had the responsibility of reconstructing their lives, in a way. As of today, close to 8 vaccination drives have been conducted exclusively for the construction workers and families.

There’s a quote that I live by, “Life is not what you have, Life is what you give,” simply because it works both ways. The construction workers mean everything to us in the business we are in. We as a foundation would go to any extent to provide our family with everything they’re entitled to and rightfully deserve for their immense contribution.

What bothers us though, is the fact that the people who are reason behind structuring our homes are compelled to live fairly unstructured lives. One of our major aspirations is to eradicate it, by taking steps like above.

What more can be done for the current situation of the construction workers to better out? What are the rights that need to be looked into? What are the benefits that need to be made available to them with immediate effect? What are the policies that need to be worked upon for the same? What kind of programmes can be designed and implemented for the welfare of these people?

The efforts now need to be collaborative, for upliftment of the lives that genuinely deserve it. People who work day and night building homes, deserve so much.

Celebrating the labour merely for a day wouldn’t solve the purpose, constant efforts and initiatives need to be taken up in order to enhance their quality of living and being.

We all together need to give this a thought.

M3M Foundation organizes a free health checkup camp for construction workers and their families at Gurugram

Gurugram: M3M Foundation, a philanthropic arm of M3M Group, organized a free health checkup camp for construction workers and their families at iMpower Club Broadway, Sector 71, Gurugram. Organized in collaboration with Fazilpur Jharsa Primary Health Centre (PHC), the initiative is a part of iMpower- a flagship program of M3M Foundation, in partnership with Aide et Action. Its objective was to ensure the overall wellbeing of people from the marginalized section of the society. A team of 12 doctors with a support staff of 4 people alongwith 1 ASHA worker, carried out a physical examination and blood pressure monitoring keeping in mind the necessary precautions and social distancing measures amid COVID-19. Those with pre-existing medical conditions were advised medications and consultations by doctors. The camp witnessed the participation of 84 people. A free health counselling session was also held with the attendees to make them understand the results and sensitize them on the significance of regular health checkups.

“The free health check-up camp will go a long way in instilling health consciousness and ensuring preventive measures against several diseases. The initiative underscores our commitment to ensure the well-being of the marginalized. As a responsible organization, M3M Foundation is committed to giving back to the society,” said Dr Payal Kanodia, Trustee, M3M Foundation.

“We are thankful to M3M Foundation for organizing this health check-up camp. We are indebted to them for providing us end-to-end support in improving our quality of life,” said Rajkumari, beneficiary of the health camp.

The objective of iMpower is to build community-led worksite upliftment programmes in identified worksites, in the Gurugram district of Haryana. This is being done by ensuring their entitlements to basic requirements such as education, health, financial and social security, legal aid and their access to State and Central welfare schemes. The children of construction workers are being provided safe and clean places to play, where they can learn and interact with each other and will be protected and nurtured in a healthy environment. In addition to proper nutrition, the children also have access to immunization and regular health check-ups.

 This collaboration envisions making a real difference in the lives of the children as well as the women present at the construction sites. The project engages with the age groups from 0 to 35 in and around the worksites of M3M through a multi-functional resource centre. This resource centre is not only a space for supporting children in education but also links the community with government entitlements/schemes. The Resource Centre is also a hub for promoting digital literacy, health, hygiene & nutrition, and space for imparting skill training to the youth.

To promote quality education and encourage innovations in quality education, around 500 children including 100 students from 10th and 12th grades are being supported with remedial coaching for their better academic achievements. Around 1000 children and community members are being made digitally literate in the project area through this intervention. Special emphasis has been given to the behaviour change aspects of the community through various health-related interventions.

M3M Foundation, the philanthropic arm of M3M Group, is working towards bringing an equitable development for attaining a brighter India. Education, environment, health, disaster management and socio-economic development are its key areas.  The Foundation believes in taking an innovative approach to address social issues by developing a self-sustained program.

National Youth Day: M3M Foundation committed to transforming the lives of the youth

Gurugram: Youth is a great asset to the nation. India is blessed to possess the advantage of a demographic dividend. If channelized efficiently, this massive talent pool can contribute to economic development. M3M Foundation, a philanthropic arm of M3M Group is committed to transforming the lives of the marginalized youth through its various initiatives. The Foundation also plans to set up a Skill Development &Training Centre to impart next-generation skills in line with the industry requirements.

“The youth is the future of the nation. India possesses a massive talent pool of youth who should be harnessed for achieving the nations’ socio-economic goals. Lack of access to education and basic facilities and joblessness are formidable challenges faced by marginalized youth. As a responsible organization, M3M Foundation is committed to making a difference in their lives through various programmes,” said Dr Payal Kanodia, Trustee, M3M Foundation.

In an endeavour to empower the youth, Government of Haryana has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M3M Foundation to facilitate online preparation, training and mentoring of students preparing for government jobs. The objective of this initiative known as Saksham Udaan is to build and strengthen the partnership between both institutions to enable students to access quality preparation for entrance examinations for government jobs. Until now, 50,000 government job aspirants have registered on the portal to prepare for these examinations.

M3M Foundation has also embarked on an initiative to support students hailing from the marginalized sections of society. As a part of this initiative -SAAKSHAR, about 1000 children are being awarded a scholarship to continue their higher education. This initiative covers beneficiaries from primary to higher education levels. These children will also be imparted elementary digital literacy skills under the programme.

Among the flagship initiatives of M3M Foundation is iMpower. M3M Foundation has collaborated with an international development organisation, Aide et Action to establish iMpower- a project which aims at the upliftment of workforce present at its construction sites. M3M Foundation recently commemorated the first anniversary of the initiative that has benefitted about 3000 families. The objective of iMpower is to build community-led worksite upliftment programmes in identified worksites of M3M in Gurugram, Haryana. This is being done through ensuring their entitlements to basic requirements such as education, health, financial and social security, legal aid and their access to State and Central welfare schemes.