1.2 million packaged meals will be distributed to vulnerable groups like daily wage workers, construction workers, contract laborers, street vendors across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru & Hyderabad.
Bengaluru, 24th March 2020: The whole of India is reeling under the intense impact of the Pandemic COVID-19, due to which most cities are under a strict lockdown. Under such circumstances, the lowest strata of the society, comprising of daily wage workers, construction workers, contract laborers, street vendors have been the worst hit. These vulnerable groups have lost the only source of their income and are now under the threat of dying from Hunger. Rise Against Hunger India (RAHI), a renowned NGO based out of Bengaluru has started supplying packaged food packets to these vulnerable worst-hit group. RAHI plans to supply around 1.2 million meals to these groups across the cities in the coming months.
Under this lockdown across the country, RAHI is planning to respond in 2 scenarios, both of which are equally important. They plan to continue uninterrupted supply of packaged meals to their existing group of beneficiaries. Simultaneously, RAHI is provisioning packaged meals to these vulnerable groups affected by the COVID-19 lockdown, who have been rendered jobless and are in dire need of support.
“Even if we take conservative estimates, about half a million such people will be in need of support in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad alone. Hunger is the biggest enemy for these groups as of today and we need to work towards providing them ample provisions, so that they along with their families can have 2 decent meals per day. In these tough times, we need to support them.”, said Mr. Dola Mohapatra, Executive Director, Rise Against Hunger India
“Today we distributed meal packets to about 65 families who are primarily construction workers and daily wage earners. We hope to spread across all these cities through our network and provide meals to the vulnerable groups over the coming few days.”, Mr. Mohapatra added.
RAHI envisages that they will be a continued support required for around 4-6 months for some of the worst-hit communities in the current scenario. “We would like to appeal to all corporate groups, large business houses and other organisations who wish to contribute to come forward and help in providing basic food to these people and prevent them from succumbing to hunger.”
Apart from food, RAHI is also planning to mobilize essentials like cooking oil, spices, masks etc. which can be utilized by these people.
