Astitva Foundation introduced red/green health cards in a Maharashtra village to guide marriage matches based on sickle‑cell status.
Over 400 people were screened in recent camps, identifying more than 200 carriers and 180 diagnosed sickle‑cell disease cases.
The initiative combines community awareness, counseling, medication access, and volunteer support to prevent disease transmission to future generations.
The grassroots model embeds health decisions into cultural marriage practices, aiming to reduce sickle‑cell births while preserving social fabric.