Epigamia has unveiled the Step-Up programme with an aim to supply food and water to communities affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Led by a motive to ameliorate food and food systems within the nation, the company has started several campaigns under this programme, such as delivering food to migrant labourers, revamping water access in villages around the nation. Danone Manifesto Ventures, one of the fund-provider in the company, is assisting the programme via its global COVID-19 Relief Fund, which aids its investee companies across the globe by helping the latter’s community outreach programs to boost the lives of those influenced by the deadly pandemic, among other initiatives.
Rohan Mirchandani, co-founder and CEO, Epigamia stated- “The pandemic and its consequences on migrant workers in the cities lead us to start this initiative. We introduced the Step-Up programme in May 2020 and have donated and supplied more than 7.5 lacs cups and bottles of yogurts. We have collaborated with Danone Manifesto Ventures, who backed us for this drive and guided us on planning and execution front. The Step-Up initiative is now a mustering cry in the firm with enthusiastic involvement of our employees as well as our supply chain partners. More than 215 members of Epigamia’s team also joined the force and donated a part of their salary for the delivery of cups.”
The 1st phase of the programme concluded in September through partners like Robin Hood Army, Zomato Feeding India, Annapurna Movement, Rise Against Hunger, AkshayaPatra, and Goonj. For the 2nd phase, the company is aiming on helping rural communities across the nation. The company has teamed up with Habitat for Humanity India to help in enhancing the access to safe drinking water, and aid the communities via training and assistance for livelihood choices including agricultural productivity.
Shievani Upadhyay, co-founder, Annapurna Movement declared- “Since the 1st Day, Epigamia has been a very bounteous donor assisting the Annapurna Movement’s on-ground food relief initiative. With the help of their Step-Up programme, we could reach out to thousands of homeless children across Mumbai. These children who were alive only on rice and dal meals ultimately got an opportunity to relish the extremely delectable and salubrious products from Epigamia. The smile that appeared on their faces was beyond price.”
Laurent Marcel, CEO of Danone Manifesto Ventures informed- “In 2020, we saw parts of the world suffering from irreparable losses to their lives and livelihoods, and planned to help our portfolio companies’ initiatives to get the unusual hurdles to their grips by means of a dedicated COVID-19 Relief Fund. This enabled us to assist Epigamia’s team and the frontline workers who tussled with the most difficult battles everyday by backing their financial, health, and safety startups. We are glad to help Epigamia to meet their responsibility as a Corporate Citizen of the nation in these times full of hardships.”