The Sunday Standard

Good samaritans take up Delhi's hunger problem, one meal at a time

Express News Service

Hunger pangs are often easily sated for most of us with a few subsequent taps on our phones. For a larger portion of the population, hunger isn’t easily appeased. Hamari Udaan and Action For Community Development Trust (ACT), two Delhi-based non-profit organisations, are tackling this problem.

‘Food With Dignity’ staff serving food 
outside Maya Enclave, West Delhi

A chartered accountant by profession, Sanjay Dodrajka (49), founding member of Hamari Udaan, is doing this through 'Food With Dignity' - an initiative that aims to provide wholesome meals to people from economically-stressed backgrounds. 

"The reason we don't offer these meals for free is to discourage begging. Rs 10 is a nominal amount for people. We want to accord dignity to the customer," he says. 

Serving a variety of wholesome dishes from Monday to Saturday, this initiative helps domestic workers, rickshaw drivers, as well as factory workers in Maya Enclave. Another highlight of this programme is that it provides employment to 10 women who work in their kitchen (a space in Sultanpur). 

The lockdown made it difficult for operations to continue for over a year. However, they’re back with an ever-changing menu and a plan to start serving food on a few Sundays starting September 12.

For the people involved, the exercise is a hugely rewarding one.

Seema Taneja (54), a homemaker and ACT volunteer,  says every experience is satisfying for her, even after almost three years. She adds, “Bahut duaein dete hai  (the customers offer us their best wishes).”

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