Iron Strong: Screening, Awareness, and Early Action Against Anaemia.
Founder & Camp Coordinator · Student-led Social Impact Project
What Iron Strong does
Iron Strong is a student-led initiative conducting free anaemia screening and nutrition-awareness camps for children aged 6–14 from low-income communities.
The project was developed in collaboration with a partner pathology laboratory. It combines scientific knowledge, community engagement, screening, and awareness to address childhood anaemia.
Understanding childhood anaemia
Anaemia can affect children's health, growth, energy, and development. The initiative aims to improve awareness and facilitate early screening and referrals through community-based camps.
Why it was started
During a laboratory internship, seeing how many reports showed low haemoglobin revealed how common anaemia is. That insight led directly to starting the Iron Strong screening camps.
The numbers so far
All figures are aggregated and anonymised — no child is identifiable.
Screening camps
- Organised four screening camps
- Partnered with a pathology laboratory
- Coordinated 12 volunteers
- Screened 186 children aged 6–14
- Ensured parental consent for screening
- Identified 79 children for referral to government health centres
- Followed up with 48 families
- Conducted awareness activities and parent education
Community sessions
Each camp included awareness activities and parent education on iron deficiency and nutrition. Parents' quiz scores increased from an average of 4.2/10 to 7.8/10.
Referrals & aftercare
79 children were identified for referral to government health centres, and the team followed up with 48 families to encourage appropriate action. A referral is a recommendation for further assessment — it is not a diagnosis, and outcomes of referrals are not reported here.
Challenges & learning
Seeing a tired child's result turn into a referral showed me how a simple test can change a future. Iron Strong connected my biology, my lab internship and my community, and showed me the impact I want to have.