22: How Zerbanoo Gifford's passion for politics led to her solution for world peace and the empowerment of women

Banking On Girls

My guest today is Zerbanoo Gifford, a human rights campaigner based in London, England, and founder of The ASHA Centre, a charity working for the empowerment of young people, sustainable development and peace & reconciliation worldwide.

Zerbanoo is the author of several books and holds countless awards including the International Woman of the Year Award 2006 for her humanitarian work, which spans over fifty years of grassroots and global activism.

A pioneer for Asian women in British public life. Zerbanoo made history in 1982 by being elected as a Liberal councilor in Harrow, London, and being the first BAME (Black/Asian/Minority/Ethnic) woman to stand for parliament. She was also elected to England’s Liberal Party’s Federal Executive.

She is married to human rights lawyer Richard Gifford and has two sons and 4 grandchildren.

In this episode Zerbanoo tells us about the unique upbringing she had as the child of Indian immigrants who ran a hotel in London, her desire to help the disadvantaged from a young age, a treasured letter from the great Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, what money now means to her, and how she is now striving to support women, end world conflict and create peace through her Asha Center.

Zerbanoo gives us all an open invitation to visit the Asha Centre in the Forest of Dean, outside London, England.

You can find out more about the Asha Center here: https://ashacentre.org/