In order to be truly successful, it is not enough just to gain financial success. It is important to be happy, and emotionally fulfilled. A group of young entrepreneurs who are building a sales business with prominent Asian direct selling company QNET, have realised that serving those in need and making a difference in their local community is an important part of their personal journey to success.
The group comprising around 600 volunteers spread across Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Odisha led by Kavita Sugandh, a former HR professional turned successful direct selling entrepreneur with QNET have formed ‘Ananta’ meaning infinite, as a social impact movement that works on a series of projects that support underserved local communities. These are not on-off projects meant for photo-ops. The Ananta movement has been active for over a year and currently supports 8 ongoing initiatives.
Inspired by QNET’s philosophy of RYTHM – Raise Yourself To Help Mankind, this young group of entrepreneurs have been working on supporting and volunteering for causes ranging from environment protection, cleanliness and hygiene, education, and even spiritual guidance, to help create sustainable change in their communities.
“We are driven by a very strong culture of service above self. We believe that serving others with humility is the true hallmark of a leader, which transcends business and the desire for making profits”, says Kavita Sugandh, who spearheads the Ananta movement.
These are the ongoing initiatives supported by Ananta volunteers.
Education and Support for Children in Low Income Communities
Volunteers of ANANTA have embarked on an initiative to feed more than 800 impoverished children in Mumbai and Bangalore. Children who come to these roti ghars are minimum wage labourers with a negligible understanding of hygiene and no opportunity to attend school. Witnessing this, ANANTA sponsors one meal a day as well as the education for these children. This roti ghar is functioning at Airoli Sector-19, Airoli Sector-20, Thane East ,and West of Mumbai and also in Hebbal in Bangalore.
Widening their focus in Thane, ANANTA has also built a school by the name of Aarna English High School where 350 students are currently enrolled. They also plan to expand through branches to feed and educate more children.
Animal Welfare
ANANTA also undertakes the maintenance and care of more than 500 animals in Airoli and Thane, in Mumbai. They focus on both medical care and providing food to them on a daily basis and will soon expand by undertaking and taking care of old and abandoned animals.
Battling Climate Change
A team of 250 nature loving volunteers from Ananta hold a world record of planting 10,000 trees in less than 5 hours. To counter the growing pollution in the country’s capital, ANANTA has not only planted over 10,000 trees in the outskirts of Delhi, but also made consistent efforts in maintaining them. The group has also planted 5000 trees in Mumbai and 5000 in Odisha where more than 2.5L trees were destroyed due to Fani Cyclone.
Protecting our Oceans
Plastic pollution is a growing global concern. Last year the during the monsoon, the tide in the Arabian Sea in Mumbai washed ashore 9 metric tonnes of garbage, largely comprising plastic on the shoreline. Since then, ANANTA volunteers have undertaken a regular monthly beach clean-up initiative at the Dadar beach to help preserve the shoreline and save depleting marine life.
Women Empowerment
Women are an important part of driving change at the grassroots level in any community. Educating women especially in the rural areas about the basics of health and hygiene go a long way in developing a healthy community. Female volunteers of Ananta have adopted 1000 women in rural areas to teach them about menstrual hygiene and have also provided them with an annual supply of biodegradable sanitary napkins. Additionally, they have also established the Nari Pathshala as an extension of this initiative where women are provided basic education and skills so that they are able to find livelihood opportunities and gain financial independence.
Other key projects for the nation
Volunteers of Ananta have swung into action whenever there is a need. They put together donations contributing to the relief operations in the aftermath of Kerala floods, financial contributing towards the victims of Pulwama attack, and rehabilitating the Adivasis who were displaced by the Odisha cyclone.
“People feel hungry every day. Menstrual cycle happens every month. Hygiene and cleanliness are basic needs. And education is important. By education I don’t only mean academic education for the kids we work with. I am referring also to adults. When people see us cleaning those dirty beaches, I am sure we are educating them by setting an example - to not to use plastic and to throw litter only in the dustbin and to respect common spaces, and not turn our roads, footpath and beaches into a big dustbin”, added Kavita.
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