Lot 58: Nanhi Kali

To create consistently great coffee, Naandi realised early on that the first step is to enable Araku communities to have access to affordable healthcare and quality education. This was the foundation of the trust that developed. The Nanhi Kali (www.nanhikali.org) programme for girl child education is an example, for we discovered in the early visits to Araku that not a single child was in school. In fact, there were no schools at all.

Since its inception in 1996, Project Nanhi Kali has transformed the lives of over 3,50,000 girls across 14 states in India. Not only has this ensured that girls complete their formal education till class 10, it has also meant that they are not married off early, sent to work or kept at home for chores or sibling care.

From 2006 to 2016, a total of 23,000 Nanhi Kalis completed schooling in Araku. The region now has every girl child going to school. Quality of life throughout the community ensured quality yields in their coffee cup profiles like the peppery, balanced Lot 58.