The Robin Hood Army feeding the poor in Cyclone Amphan-torn Kolkata

With Independence Day around the corner, the Robins, as they call themselves, have pledged to feed 30 million vulnerable people worldwide between July 1 to August 15.
The Robin Hood Army providing dry ration in Sonarpur.
The Robin Hood Army providing dry ration in Sonarpur.

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, a group of people in Kolkata are standing true to their promise -- to feed the hungry and poor.

The members of Robin Hood Army, a volunteer-based, zero-fund organisation spread across over 10 countries, have been working relentlessly to make sure no one sleeps hungry in these trying times.

With Independence Day around the corner, the Robins, as they call themselves, have pledged to feed 30 million vulnerable people worldwide between July 1 to August 15.

The network of over 50000 volunteers collects surplus food from restaurants and eateries and provides it to those in need. But with eateries being shut due to the lockdown, they have resorted to distributing dry ration with the help of big corporates.  

"We have people from all walks of life who volunteer with us and they do it in their free time. We all communicate on WhatsApp," said Sanchit Jain, the co-founder of Robin Hood Army.

In India where the gnawing problem of starvation claims several lives (the country ranks 102nd in the Global Hunger Index), the Robins have fed over 4 million people in the country, including 97000 in Kolkata. They also take pride in being a Harvard Case Study.

In Kolkata, the Robins, spread over seven chapters, have extended their support to the Cyclone Amphan-hit families. In the eastern state of West Bengal, the residents of Sundarbans are fighting a dual battle in the aftermath of Amphan, which killed at least 72 in the state and affected scores of people. 

So far, the RHA has distributed dry ration to over 300 families in Jhargram and 500 odd families in Kolkata, Syed Manjur Rahaman, a Kolkata-based Robin said.

A member of the organisation since 2015, Rahaman, a practicing medical technologist, said that he has been a part of daily night drives since the onset of the pandemic. 

“We are trying to reach out to the extreme hamlets of Sundarbans. We will be going to Sandeshkhali soon to deliver dry rations for 200 families. We will help people till they can get their land in a cultivable state,” he added.

In a bid to protect the senior citizens from the contagious virus, the RHA had launched the "Senior Patrol' initiative, where elders in need were supplied with necessities.

"Through the 'Senior Patrol' initiative, we tried to reach out to the elders who were trapped at home due to lockdown. They had to just call us and we would try to bring them what they required," said Moumita Deb, a Robin for four years.

"The RHA touches our lives. It is our social responsibility. We are one team and one family,” she stressed. 

Speaking about the milestone that the RHA has achieved so far, Jain said, "Although it has been a great journey, there is still a chance to improve. Citizens need to take up responsibility and mitigate the sorrows in the lives of the vulnerable."

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The New Indian Express
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