Jan Akanksha Foundation

Jan Akanksha Foundation is over in the village of Dudhdari, in the Banka district. We are based at Vindeshwari Panjiyar’s place. The name sounds a bit formal, but we are just a small group of folks from the village. We started this because people in Dudhdari have a lot of hopes for their families, but not always the resources to make them happen. We try to be a bridge for those gaps. Whether it’s figuring out how to get a government ID or finding a way to fix a local road, we get involved. It’s very hands-on and often quite messy. We don't have a big office with air conditioning. We mostly sit on plastic chairs and talk things through. Banka is a beautiful place, but it has its share of poverty and issues. We just want to see our neighbors doing a little better each year. We help out where we can, whether it’s with education or just general village welfare. Everyone knows Vindeshwari, so they feel comfortable coming to us with their problems. We don't have a lot of rules or a corporate structure. We just do what seems right at the time. It’s about listening to what the people in Dudhdari actually need instead of telling them what to do. We are just part of the community, trying to help out like anyone else would.