Aiming for a Hunger-Free India

“Someone is dying for the food you are throwing away”

- Anonymous

It is a common habit with most of the people to fill their plates with more food than they can eat. Be it parties, get together, or even at home having meals with family or friends. The left-over food in substantial quantities is thrown in the garbage, as people feel shy in passing it on to the poor and needy who are not easily available in posh residential areas.

The 2017 Global Hunger Index (GHI) Report ranked India 97th out of 118 countries with a serious hunger situation. Amongst South Asian nations, it ranks third behind only Afghanistan and Pakistan. 25% of all hungry people worldwide live in India.

It was a brain-storming session at NMAM Institute of Technology in Karkala, Karnataka. The topic was malnutrition. The concluding remarks highlighted that, while millions starve in India-a country ranked second in the world for the number of children suffering from malnutrition, India also witnesses abject waste in abundance. Many families are staging extravagant displays of food at their children’s weddings to show off their newfound affluence. One-fifth of the food served at weddings and social gatherings is discarded.

Four engineering students, Dileep Adiga, Anish Hegde, Ananth T Pai and Jeevan Geo Philip who attended the session were moved. They decided to do something about it at their own level. Cooking food every day and distributing it was not feasible. That was when Dileep Adiga, an engineering student in Udupi the temple town infamous for the vast amounts of temple food being wasted and thrown into garbage dumps decided that this food can instead be given to the poor and needy. They embarked on a mission to collect leftovers from wedding halls and public functions and distribute them to the poor.

Initially, they prepared a database of organisations that need help in the form of food. The turning point was during the thirteenth-day ritual performed at Udupi after the death of senior BJP leader Dr V S Acharya. So much excess food was cooked that, food for nearly 10,000 people was left behind. Dileep requested the family for permission to take the left-over food and distribute it to the poor and needy. Seeing the smiles on the faces of the hungry people after serving them food, Anish and Ananth spread the word in many areas of Udupi, that they are ready to collect left-over food. A few like-minded volunteers, mostly students, joined in the door-to-door campaign.

People were given the option that they could either contribute directly or inform the team if they came to know about leftover food. Collection points were set up in prominent places. People were encouraged to donate food for the needy on festivals and family functions. To make it authentic, they were asked to visit the spot where the food was being served.

In January 2014, Dileep along with his team launched the ‘Annadhana’ Trust. The 13-member trust was formed with well-defined roles and responsibilities. Annadhana foundation, with the support of its volunteers, aims for a hunger-free India. The food that is left inevitably lands in the garbage bins. But if we are careful and take only as much as we can eat, the saved food will find its way into the empty stomachs of those who cannot even afford it. Team Annadhana wants every Indian to be part of this project and experience the happiness in donating and spreading a smile.

To spread awareness about Annadhana, they circulated pamphlets and also opened a website. Marriage hall owners started informing them to collect the left-over food. Caterers also extended their support by letting them borrow vessels, which they could return later. Anish Hegde, another member, says, “Till date, we have distributed about 20,000 plates of meals. Besides left overfood, some people donate a 10kg bag of rice and other grocery items.” He added that the likes on their Facebook page ‘Annadhana’ are increasing by the day.

Initially, the volunteers would visit and collect leftover food. Now with increasing awareness about Annadhana they get calls from people. Since Udupi is a small town, it is easy to reach places. They also have a dedicated auto service and utensils to transfer food. Once they have a strong volunteer base, they intend to start the same system in Mangalore and Bengaluru. The team is particular about ensuring the quality of the food which is distributed only after tasting it.

There are 150 volunteers, mostly college students from nearby places. Through the trust, they have launched a Fresh Fruits and Grocery Supplies (FFGS) campaign. With FFGS, Annadhana aims to provide a more balanced diet and regular food supply to those in need. They are also tying up with kitchens of various orphanages and hostels for the differently-abled.

The BAD project (Birthday Anniversary Donation) in which people are inspired to donate the money, which they would otherwise spend on celebrating birthdays or anniversaries, is very popular. This donation is used to organise a party for the needy who showers a multitude of blessings. The sincerity shown by the team members have earned the trust and they are engaged in such noble work without craving for publicity.