Area Networking and Development Initiatives (ANANDI) is a voluntary organisation (VO) working in rural and tribal areas of Gujarat since 1995. It adopts an empowerment and a rights-based approach. Founded by five professional women with experience in the development sector, ANANDI helps poor families of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, including the Tribals, Dalits, and Muslims to move out of poverty  conditions.

While there are significant gains at a marco level for a county like India in terms of growth, the bottom segment of the Indian society is getting further pushed into poverty and facing new vulnerabilities. Women from poor communities are doubly disadvantages as they face gender discrimination at home, in the community and the society at large and have to face the hardships of not being able to make two ends meet.
ANANDI’s interventions therefore address gender discrimination and provide opportunities for economic upliftment while simultaneously trying to reduce other vulnerabilities.