impact
From Dreams To Reality
The Adani Foundation's Saksham programme has paved the path for the youth at various ACC sites.
Priti Saldanha
In the communities around ACC sites, the Adani Foundation’s ASDC SAKSHAM programme is transforming lives for the better. This initiative goes beyond mere skill development; it nurtures hope, revives dreams, and empowers individuals to reconstruct their futures in ways they once thought were impossible.
Through focused, industry-specific training and tailored support, this initiative has truly empowered individuals to rise above their circumstances. Kamla Ben and Diksha Kumari Thakur exemplify the many lives transformed by this program. Their stories demonstrate that, even in the most challenging times, there is always a way to forge a new path toward a brighter future.
Kamla Ben’s Brave New World
For most of her life, Kamla Ben’s world was small—a life confined to the four walls of her village home. That all changed when she moved to the bustling city of Ahmedabad after marriage. With two young children to care for, the city felt alien, vast, and overwhelming. Kamla wasn’t sure where she belonged in this new world. Her days were spent tending to her home and family, her own dreams forgotten. But one day, something inside her shifted. She took a bold step and enrolled in a three-month beautician training program at the Adani Skill Development Centre (ASDC).
“My life changed completely from that moment,” she says softly, her eyes shining with pride. "I began to imagine a life beyond the four walls I had known." For Kamla, it wasn’t just about learning a trade, it was about discovering her own strength and worth. She dedicated herself to the training, and with her husband’s support, she built something entirely her own. Today, she’s a beautician at Kaya Clinic in Ahmedabad, and her journey has taken her farther than she ever imagined, including traveling to Pune for a workshop, her first trip outside Gujarat. Kamla Ben’s story is one of courage, self-discovery, and a future no longer defined by limitations, but by endless possibilities.
Diksha’s Journey Towards Hope
For Diksha Kumari Thakur, the dreams of a happy family life crumbled before her eyes. At just 18, she married with hopes of a stable future, only to watch them unravel as her husband’s alcoholism poisoned their life together. In 2020, with a heavy heart, she made the painful decision to leave. As if that heartbreak wasn’t enough, Diksha then suffered the unimaginable loss of her child to illness, leaving her consumed by grief and questioning whether there was any hope left for her.
But in the midst of this despair, a small glimmer of light appeared. Through her father’s friends, she heard about the Adani Skill Development Centre in Chaibasa in Jharkhand. Her father, a humble salon owner in the state’s capital, Ranchi, encouraged her to take a step toward rebuilding her life. And so, Diksha enrolled in an automotive service technician course, uncertain but willing to try.
What she found was more than just practical skills—it was a path toward healing. Each lesson, each new skill, helped her reclaim her strength and sense of purpose. Today, Diksha works as a warden and counselor, guiding others through their struggles, her own story serving as a beacon of resilience and hope. What once felt like the end of everything has now become the beginning of something beautiful—a second chance, a new chapter.
These are just two of the countless lives touched by the Adani Foundation, where hope is restored, dreams are rekindled, and lives are forever changed. In the face of adversity, Kamla and Diksha found not just skills, but strength—and through their courage, they have built futures filled with possibility. The Adani Foundation is proud to be part of their journeys, turning challenges into opportunities and empowering communities, one story at a time.