India is home to nearly ⅕ of the world’s population. It is also home to the world’s largest iron deficient population with 57% of children under 5 and 51% of women aged 15-49 reported as iron deficient. In some regions, up to 70% of adolescent girls are iron deficient. These rates cause immense health and socio economic impacts, with India reporting a loss of up to 8% of GDP per year due to iron deficiency.
These startlingly high rates disproportionately impact women and children, limiting their ability to thrive socially, economically and physically. Iron deficiency can impact cognitive development in children, impacting their ability to concentrate and learn which in turn impacts their earning potential later in life. For women, iron deficiency can impact their energy levels, income earning potential, cause headaches and nausea and can cause preterm births.
As a committed BCorp and social purpose company, our mission is to prevent and address iron deficiency on a global scale, working to improve health and wellbeing of women and children. We do this through our work with NGOs and charitable partners around the globe. It is our goal to make iron deficiency a thing of the past, which is why we are working closely to expand our work in India. In order to be effective in India, we created the Lucky Shaki Leaf, an iron ingot shaped like the tulsi leaf. Same great product, new shape ;)
This past June, our team was in Pune, India launching the second phase of our community based project with Sahara Aalhad, an NGO serving marginalized populations in India providing comprehensive services including nutrition, counseling, medical treatment, care & support, educational support, mentoring and advocacy for people dependent on substances or affected by TB and HIV.
Working with Sahara and Entia, Lucky Iron Fish Inc. is providing Lucky Shakti Leaf and nutrition training to families that Sahara serves. Sahara will work with families to provide in depth nutrition training and the Lucky Shakti Leaf to help improve health outcomes.
Over the 6 month project Lucky Iron Fish, Sahara and Entia will be testing an increase in hemoglobin levels along with a reduction in signs and symptoms associated with iron deficiency. The goal of the project is to help improve the health and wellbeing of the communities that Sahara serves so that women can feel better so they can thrive socially and physically. Stay tuned for more updates!
