Manish Gajbhiye
Aurangabad
World food day is observed every year on October 16 under the united nation environment development programme. The intention is to highlight that everyone worldwide should have access to nutritious food. The theme this year of the day is ‘Leave No One Behind!
Food is a basic need of human beings. However, it is not a situation in which everyone gets it on time. Several people have to sleep on an empty stomach due to their poverty. Hence, to create awareness for fulfilling the food requirement of each person, this day is celebrated.
In Aurangabad, several social organisations have taken the initiative to provide food to the needy and hungry people.
Majlis Tameer-E-Millat
Khan Abdul Moid, secretary
Late Khan Abdul Hamil Hashar started this organisation to provide food to poor patients and their relatives coming from far away places to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in 2012. Now, Abdul Moid is looking after the affairs. On the first day, 15 persons were provided food in the morning and 19 in the evening from Masjid Jamil Baig. Today, around 1,600 persons are provided food daily. The food is distributed in 16 hospitals in the city through vehicles. There are presently around 40 paid volunteers and around 150 amateur volunteers rendering services to the cause.
Anna Vachva Samiti
Rajesh Kulkarni, vice president
Considering the wastage of food in marriages and other functions, like-minded people came together to stop the wastage and established the Samiti around eight years back. The task before the committee was to collect the leftover food and distribute it to the poor and needy people. Initially, it was a very difficult task but later on, people started joining the initiative and the task became easier. Presently, there are around 150 volunteers who along with the collection and distribution also create awareness about not wasting food. They carry placards in their hands in the functions with the messages not to leave food on the plates.
Roti Bank Seva Trust
Yousuf Mukati, founder
Surplus food is a major issue during marriage ceremonies, hotels, and even religious functions as people are always confused about what to do with it. Moreover, the fakir and the beggars when hungry can beg for food, but the general middle-class people are reluctant to beg despite being hungry. The trust gave them the alternative to access food. It established a counter in Baijipura from where people can get food. The food is collected from functions, hotels, and Bhandaras through the vehicles of the trust. They have a cold storage facility where the food is kept. The initiative was started in 2014 and is looked after by the founder through a team of around 200 volunteers.
Robin Hood Army
Ajinkya Purnapatre, city head
Robin Hood Army is an initiative started by Neil Ghosh and Arushi Batra in New Delhi. Presently, the work is done in 400 cities in 10 countries. In Aurangabad, the work of collecting and distributing food was started four years back. Presently, around 200 volunteers called ‘Robins’ are attached to the initiative and food has been provided to around 6.5 lakh people until now. The food is collected from restaurants and provided at hospitals, old age homes, orphanages, homeless families, and others. A large number of youngsters have joined this initiative.