The Ankibai Ghamandiram Gowani Trust, an NGO committed to the upliftment of society, embraces the essence of the quote, “We rise by lifting others.” Established in the year 1969, the trust is working with different sections of society with a mission to empower children, women and the other weaker sections of society to enable them to live a dignified life.

Mrs Nidarshana Gowani, the current Trustee of the Ankibai Trust, plays a pivotal role in managing and overseeing the trust’s operations and activities. This includes making strategic decisions, organising initiatives, and ensuring that the trust’s objectives align with its mission.

Working Across Diverse Fields

When striving for a broad objective, you can’t limit yourself to a single area of focus. The Ankibai Trust recognises the importance of making a difference in every segment of society.

Focusing on Self-Employment

Empowering people across all age groups to be self-employed and self-sufficient.

Free HPV Vaccination

Providing free HPV vaccination to over 100 girls in Mumbai, aiming to foster a stronger community and prioritise women’s health.

Feeding Stray Animals

Providing regular meals for stray animals and birds across the country through dedicated volunteers.

Supporting The Transgender Community

Extending the help and working for the welfare of the transgender community across the country.

Supporting Cancer Patients

Working closely with the Tata Memorial Hospital, providing nutritious meals, blankets, and meeting other essential requirements of cancer patients. Additionally, raising awareness about cancer prevention is also focused upon.

Promoting Women Empowerment

Empowering women to become self-employed and providing them with different resources, and conducting sessions to help them grow and shine.

Apart from organising different initiatives, Trust reaches out to the less privileged sections of society, such as the transgender community, acid attack survivors, fire victims, widows of army officers, and other sections, to empower them and lend a helping hand towards their growth and development.

Anemia Mukt Bharat

Findings from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-21) have revealed that people from all age groups, including children below five years, pregnant women and adolescent girls and boys, are affected by Anemia. 67% of children (6-59 months), 57 per cent of women and 25 per cent of men (in the 15-49 group) are suffering from this issue. Anemia is gripping our nation. Hence Ankibai Trust has taken the initiative to eradicate anemia from India, particularly women under ‘Anemia Mukt Bharat.’

“Conducting anemia tests specifically for women can have a positive impact on promoting a healthy lifestyle and enhancing the overall health of families,” mentions Mrs Nidarshana.

By providing women with information about the factors contributing to anemia, such as dietary deficiencies or chronic conditions, the trust helps them make informed decisions about their health. The trust has made significant progress by conducting over 1000 tests as of June 2023 in various locations, including Varanasi, Ayodhya, Palghar, Mirzapur, and Mumbai.

“Our aim is not just to diagnose people who have anemia but to educate them about the issues caused by it. Only by doing this we can inch closer to Anemia Mukt Bharat,” reiterates the trustee.

How Anemia Tests Are Executed?

The trust follows a process-driven procedure to execute anemia tests:

Individuals undergo a blood test conducted by technicians to determine if they have anemia.
After conducting the tests, doctors carefully review the test results to confirm the presence of anemia and evaluate its severity.
Based on the test results, doctors provide guidance and recommendations to people who have been diagnosed with anemia. This includes lifestyle modifications, dietary changes, and potential medical interventions.
This is followed by distributing a diet chart to everyone and not just those diagnosed with anemia, to promote preventive measures against anemia.
As a preventive measure, deworming medicines are provided to everyone to kill potential worm infestations, which can contribute to anemia and other diseases.

“To ensure efficient management and monitoring, a software system is used to maintain a comprehensive record of the individuals tested. This record includes personal details such as Aadhaar card number, mobile number, and test results, which enables future tracking and monitoring of anemic individuals and their progress over time,” adds Mrs Gowani.