Focus Areas
- Disaster Relief & Rehab
- Worker Welfare
- General
Disaster Relief & Rehab
GJNRF has been among the early responders rushing aid and assistance to communities across India who have had their lives and livelihoods devastated by major natural disasters. The focus has always been on organising relief activities at the earliest, reaching out to survivors with medicines, food, clothing and temporary shelter.
It has taken up quite a few projects to provide assistance to families of martyrs killed while on active duty and to improve facilities for the education of children of defence personnel.
Recognising that such measures must be complemented with a longer-term vision to help individuals, families and communities get back on their feet, GJNRF has also taken up a number of projects to develop infrastructure in the affected regions, constructing homes, schools and colleges, hospitals and clinics and other projects to improve living conditions of the most affected communities.
Support to Martyr’s families and Defence Personnel
Assistance provided to defence personnel and their families in the aftermath of Kargil War of 1999:
- A large sum was donated to create the ‘Gem & Jewellery Defence Welfare Corpus’ at defence headquarters in New Delhi for awarding merit-based scholarships to about 1,500 children of defence personnel every year.
- Computer centres were established in 11 Army schools all over the country.
- Assistance was provided to war widows through various regimental centres.
- Construction of a Diamond AWWA Hostel was undertaken at Kalina, Mumbai. This hostel has a capacity of 96 students and is rated very highly in Army circles.
- The hostel provides the most modern living conditions over a plot of land covering nearly 20,000 sq. ft.
Construction of three villages:
a) Diamond Nagar, Amran- 510 houses with all infrastructural facilities, including roads, electric and water supply and sewage, etc., in approx. 2,72,735sq. ft area.
- 604 houses with all infrastructural facilities including roads, electric and water supply, and sewage, etc., in approx. 2,89,805 sq. ft area.
- New village created in Bhuj with 373 houses and all infrastructural facilities including roads, electric and water supply and sewage, etc., in approx. 1,86,500 sq. ft area.
Construction of three schools:
Sahyog Saraswati Vidyamandir, Gandhidham- New building of approx. 34,000 sq. ft with a capacity of 1,000 students.
- New building of approx. 42,000 sq. ft with a capacity of 1,200 students.
- New building of approx. 60,000 sq. ft at the site of old damaged premises with a capacity of 3,000 students; a Girl’s hostel with a capacity of 96 residents; and an auditorium with a seating capacity of 500.
Construction of three hospitals:
Sahyog General Hospital, Limbdi- New building of approx. 64,000 sq. ft with a capacity of 150 beds with modern facilities and equipment.
- Re-construction and retrofitting of RR Hospital and Baluba Maternity Home.
- Community health centre of approx. 27,000 sq. ft area with a capacity of 30 beds and with modern facilities and equipment.
- Community health centre of approx. 27,000 sq. ft area with a capacity of 30 beds with modern facilities and equipment.
In addition, GJNRF provided financial support and assistance to the following projects:
- Shri IJ Mehta Vinaymandir School at Palanpur.
- Juna Sadulka village in Rajkot district.
- Primary schools in Rajkot.
GJNRF undertook the following projects
- Distribution of food, clothing, utensils, books, tents and survival necessities.
- Tilling and cultivation of 30,000 acres of land damaged by the cyclone.
- Repairs of school buildings in remote villages.
- Construction of a primary school at Dolapadi in Bhadrak district.
- Construction and furnishing of an orphanage of 22,137 sq. ft area with a capacity of housing 120 destitute children.
GJNRF activities taken up during the floods in Mumbai, Surat and Bihar in 2005, 2006 and 2008 respectively included:
- Distribution of relief items like food, mineral water, milk for infants, books, stationery items, etc., for school-going children.
- Providing shelters and equipment for workers to resume their professional work.
- Immediate serving of cooked food for a week.
- Distribution of woollen blankets.
- Distribution of pherans.
- Supply of normal syringe infusion pumps to GB Pant Children Hospital, Srinagar.
- Distributed emergency aid to over 3,000 flood victims and supported organisations from the gems and jewellery industry in providing relief materials to six emergency camps housing over 3,000 people.
GJNRF contributed towards the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund and provided immediate relief and rehabilitation to the victims of Tsunami tragedy through Shree Banaskantha Palanpur Jain Association, Chennai.
- Mumbai 2006-07
- Mumbai 2008
- Mumbai 2011
Relief provided to drought-affected villages of in Maharashtra to develop better water storage facilities, with provision for use of heavy-duty Backhoe Loader Machines (CAT machine) to the district collector of Wardha for deepening and broadening of rivers and other water resources.
GJNRF presented fixed deposits of a significant sum to each of the families of victims of Uri terror attack at a function, ‘Salute to Indian Army’ held on 20 October 2016, presided over by then Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis and Smt Amruta Fadnavis at Bharat Diamond Bourse in Mumbai.
GJNRF organised mega relief campaign for migrant, daily wage earners and needy communities during the 2020 lockdown on account of Covid-19, while extending support to frontline workers and strengthening the medical infrastructure in both Maharashtra and Gujarat, during both the 2020 and 2021 waves.
Some highlights:
- Distribution of 50 tons of food grains in Raigadh District.
- Distribution of Ration kits for 1-2 months to 30,000 artisans, catering to 1.5 lakh people at Palanpur, Visnagar, Surendranagar, Botad, Surat, Dahisar, Malad and Zaveri Bazar.
- Provision of food and snacks to 1.5 lakhs migrants at Bandra, Kurla, Vasai, Virar and Surat railway stations and at Raigadh.
- Provisions of daily meals to 6,000 people for a month as per BMC requirements.
- Distribution of 40,000 masks, 25,000 goggles, 22,000 gloves, 25,000 PPE Kits, 21,000 diapers, 24,000 litres sanitizer, 960 Covid testing PCR Kits, 50 Pulse Oxymeters, 50 thermal temperature guns and 5 Face Mask Incinerators to various hospitals and Police stations.
- Establishment of new IT Wing at Nagpada Police Hospital where digital health records of 40,000 police personnel can be maintained.
- Donation of eight dialysis machines to Cooper and Dombivli hospitals.
- Donation of 10 Airvo portable ventilators HFNC machines to government hospitals in Mumbai and Mahavir Hospital, Surat.
- Renovation of one wing with 5 special rooms at St. George’s Hospital, Mumbai.
- Donation of two Ambulances, one to the State Government’s 108 service and one to Elizabeth Hospital.
- Donation of 3 Intellivue Monitors to Tata Memorial Hospital.
- Donation of Total Biochemistry Analysers to Nagpada Police hospital.
- Provision of 400 beds to BKC quarantine centre.
- Provision of financial support to 1,300 MDMA members.
- Provision of 5,000 meals i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner to doctors and nursing staff of Government hospitals.
- Donation of 20 High Flow Therapy Machines to Various Hospitals.
- Donation of SLE 2000 Infant Ventilator to Alibag Civil Hospital.
- Distribution of hampers to police women in Mumbai and Surat on International Women’s Day in association with GIA and Shrimad Rajchandra Education Trust.
- Donation of 3 Oxygen concentrator machines to Malad and Dahisar Diamond Association, where there are approximately 25,000 diamond cutters.
- Donation of 7 Oxygen concentrator machines to Palanpur Samaj Kendra.
- Donation of 5 Oxygen concentrator machines to Catholic Gymkhana COVID Centre run by BMC.
- Support in establishment of 80-bedded quarantine centre in Vile Parle, Mumbai.
- Support in establishment of 100-bedded quarantine centre in Tardeo, Mumbai.
- Support in establishment of 35-bedded quarantine centre in Botad, Gujarat.
- Provision of 10 Ventilators and 150 Oxygen concentrators to Banaskantha district administration in Gujarat
- Provision of ventilators and 1 defibrillator to hospital at Dharampur in Gujarat.
- Provision of ambulance to Chandrapur district in Maharashtra.
- Provision of PPE kits, masks, gloves and 2 oxygen concentrator machines to Apex kidney foundation for their dialysis work.
- Provision of financial aid to ARCH (Action Research in Community Health and Development) hospital in South Gujarat.
- Provision of 5 OCs to a COVID centre in Surendranagar in Gujarat.
- Provision of food hampers to police personnel in appreciation of their services. This was done in association with GIA India.
Worker Welfare
The gem and jewellery industry in India has always focused on ensuring that its workforce is well cared for. GJNRF has now given a concrete and organised form to this outlook, through various initiatives at an industry-wide level.
The measures span a broad spectrum – from immediate relief and aid in times of crisis, to longer term measures designed to boost health and well-being of the industry’s employees and their families.
- In March 2009, scholarships were given to nearly 35,000 students covering about 1,200 schools all over Gujarat.
- Further, scholarships to 50 students, ration kits comprising wheat, rice and moong dal were provided to each of hundred families.
- Scholarships were also provided to children of diamond artisans in Surat and Amreli during Covid-19 pandemic.
- Sewing machines were donated to families of unemployed diamond workers so that they can earn their livelihood. The foundation contributed Rs. 500 per machine, and the balance was given as a loan to the respective families.
- Policewomen in Mumbai honoured on International Women’s Day.
GJNRF helped establish the BDB Emergency Medical Centre at Bharat Diamond Bourse in Mumbai. The centre is fully equipped to provide emergency medical assistance to workers as well as visitors at concessional rates.
- Subsidised training and certification of 50 artisans in micro pave setting for jewellery.
- Supported establishment of GJSCI's Jewellery Occupational Skilling Hub at SEEPZ, Mumbai.
- Distribution of Ration kits for 1-2 months to 30,000 artisans, catering to 1.5 lakh people at Palanpur, Visnagar, Surendranagar, Botad, Surat, Dahisar, Malad and Zaveri Bazar.
- Provision of financial support to 1,300 MDMA members
- Provided financial grant to families of over 500 diamond ratnakars who lost their lives during the pandemic.
- Free vaccinations at BDB, Bandra, Mumbai for 1,500 daily wage assorters’ community or ‘Chuttaks’ in association with GJEPC, BDB and WFDB.
- Free vaccination drive for nearly 7,500 diamond industry artisans in Borivali, Mumbai in association with GJEPC, BDB and WFDB and coordinated by Borivali Diamond Cutters and Polishers Association.
Apex body for managing donations from gem and jewellery industry to support the Swasthya Ratna, a subsidised medical insurance scheme run by GJEPC for artisans and employees.
General
Over the years GJNRF has also provided aid and support to a number of other worthy causes in diverse fields related to health, education, women’s empowerment, environment etc.
Some of the recent initiatives in the field of health care include:
- Renovation and refurbishment of entrance lobby and reception center at Brahmakumari’s BSES Hospital, Andheri, Mumbai.
- Donation of ambulance and two ventilators to St. George’s Hospital, Mumbai run by state government
- Donation of an ambulance to `Surat Diamond Hospital’ managed by Surat Diamond Association.
- Donation of `Sabvahini’ to Botad Diamond Association Gujarat
- Distribution of protein powder to T.B. patients, pregnant women and undernourished children from underprivileged sections in Amreli and Banaskantha districts in Gujarat
- Financial support to Rotary Club of Cuffe Parade, Mumbai for conducting free pediatric heart surgeries at SRCC Hospital, Mumbai and for providing water transport wheels in rural area of Wada, Maharashtra
- Financial support for free pediatric surgery and treatment of cancer patients at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.
- Financial support to `Jivan Jyot Drug Bank’ Mumbai for distribution of medicines to underprivileged patients at subsidized price / free of cost.
A few of the recent projects in the field of education include:
- “Changing Moves Changing Minds”, an international gender educational program, conducted for one year in Brihad Mumbai Municipal Schools in association with British Council
- Financial support to Indian Institute of Gem & Jewellery, Varanasi
- Sponsor construction of one floor of Boy’s Hostel at Balaram Saghan Kshetra Samiti Education Campus, Chitrasani, Gujarat.
Programmes taken up to assist organisations working in this field include:
- Financial support to Myna Mahila Foundation in conducting women empowerment programmes and free distribution of sanitary napkins in slum areas of Mumbai.
- Financial support to `Kirti Trust’, an NGO working for empowerment of women and awareness campaign on menstrual health and hygiene
GJNRF took the following initiatives to aid protection of the environment.
- Provided two caterpillar heavy duty earth mover machines to collector of Wardha, Maharashtra for water management in the district
- Distributed blanket, organic fertilizers and seeds to the farmers in villages of Madhya Pradesh