UPL Ltd. Continues its Commitment to Education and Holistic Community Betterment in Vapi
15 May 2024, Vapi: UPL Ltd., a global provider of sustainable agricultural solutions, has been committed toward imparting quality education and holistic community betterment since its inception. UPL began its CSR initiatives as part of its efforts to reach out to the community even before it was mandated by law. UPL conducts holistic community development programs in Vapi under four main pillars, including Education, Bio-diversity Conservation (UPL Vasudha), Sustainable livelihood (UPL Pragati), and Local Area Needs including sanitation, and infrastructure development. Sandra Shroff College of Nursing (SSCN) in Vapi is a testament to the same. The institute has trained so far 637 aspiring nurses and plans to train 575 more in next 3-5 years with a motto “Service to Mankind.”
Established in 2003 by Mrs. Sandra Shroff, SSCN is the very first self-financed college in south Gujarat region that offers 4 years B.Sc. Nursing and 2 years M.Sc. Nursing courses with world-class infrastructure. With a twin objective of providing education and employment to young tribal girls in the region, SSCN has been a source of inspiration for many individuals, where around 70% of students join from humble backgrounds, and most of our alumni are currently studying or working in reputed healthcare institutions globally.
Speaking about UPL’s vision, Mrs. Sandra Shroff, Vice Chairman of UPL, said, “At UPL, our vision extends beyond mere business success. We aspire to be catalysts of positive change, uplifting communities, and nurturing educational avenues for all. Our CSR initiatives reflect this larger vision, where every effort is a step towards building a more inclusive and prosperous society. At SSCN our professionals not only educate minds but also nurture souls.”
Adding more to the CSR initiatives, Mr. Rishi Pathania, Vice President – CSR, UPL Ltd., said, “Our CSR initiatives underscore our commitment to sustainable development and social progress. In addition to the nursing college, UPL has laid immense importance on education and vocational training which includes Smt. Sandraben Shroff Gyan Dham School in Vapi and Gyan Dham Eklavya Model Residential School, Ahwa District Dang to improve quality of education for underprivileged tribal students in Dang district, Gujarat. We will keep adding more to our commitments.”
Sharing his experience, Prof. Samuel Fernandis, M.Sc. Nursing, Principal, SSCN, said, “Our nursing college ignites the aspirations of aspiring healthcare professionals by guiding them on a transformative journey. In 2022-23 the batch strength was 200 and we have successfully enhanced the number of seats from 40 to 60 in the graduate nursing course. We also initiated a new course – General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) and set up Advanced Simulation Skill Laboratory to provide hands-on experience to the students. Last year, our institute collaborated with Burns National Conference for Nurses for student development.”
In addition to this, UPL has formed over 153 Self-Help Groups (SHG) for women, with over 2,000+ members, working in various small enterprises like Garments, Agarbatti, Artificial Jewellery, Handicrafts, Tailoring, Cashew Processing work etc. The company has promoted financial inclusion, which has led to cumulative saving of over INR 8.5 million across the self-help groups.
UPL has also been focussed on its commitment towards various local needs and has taken several steps to develop the villages in the Vapi region. These include the construction of 58 sanitation blocks built across 6 states, which will benefit over 15,000 students, other school infrastructure including the flooring, kitchen, and school shed. There were sessions arranged for students on waste management, open defecation & other sanitation issues for motivation and awareness.
Some of the other initiatives under UPL Pragati include Farmer Producer Company where UPL is helping farmers to set up their own companies hence making them self-sufficient. Farmer Producer Company assists farmers with necessary training such as Capacity building on legal compliance, Training on Business Development, Linkages – Forward & Backward, and Convergence with Government Schemes. UPL is also working with over 10,500 farmers in Vapi and Dang for improving agriculture productivity & technology transfer.
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