Wednesday 1 February 2017

Hunger- A predicament unresolved.

In the antediluvian times when a problem aggrandized, committees were formed to solve the problems and specific measures were taken to ensure it won’t sprout up again. In case the issue couldn’t be solved at all, the people were taught to co-exist with  problems  with the justification of a mythological reference. Years passed, people who suffered in amassment were labelled “cursed” and the competent ones ruled.

Clusters under target
Thankfully today we have a lot of organizations and individuals to support these cursed souls and find them a respectful place in the society. We have various establishments to support women, the destitute, the mentally disabled, the animals and health victims with the patronage and backing from powerful celebrities, media stalwarts and politicians. A lot of social and economic issues came under control with change in attitude, and improvised analogies injected into minds with experiential campaigns. However, there is one adverse facet of the society that hasn’t changed at all and that is- Hunger. As per recent statistics by the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations, India tops the Hunger list of the World with 194 million starving people, which is over 15 percent of India’s population. Additionally,  India ranks very high (exceeding China) in terms of food wastage where more than 40 percent of the agricultural produce gets wasted every year which amounts to 58000 cr.

The considerable increase in the economic growth of the country might have made a little amendment in the life of a few, but have failed to make any difference in satisfying the hunger of a large mass. Many reasons can be analysed for this issue -the status of unemployment, corruption, global recession, increase in the price of food and energy; one can even blame natural and man-made disasters. However we fail to realize that this issue has a solution and the solution is through YOU and ME. Let’s imagine a situation where you eat a huge breakfast at 9 am and throughout the day you stay in an empty stomach; what would be your condition at 8.30 pm? I am pretty sure you would be famished beyond limits. Do you get the point? Despite having a heavy breakfast much to your heart’s content at 9 am, by evening you feel starved and ravenous for food. Now, imagine living in a starved condition for days…we are not talking about skipping  meals or not getting your favourite  dessert .We are talking serious business here; a condition you and I would call a nightmare, the condition of Hunger and extreme starvation!

Volunteers of The Robin Hood Army
Is there a permanent solution to this problem? Maybe not! However, can we make a difference? Sure!  The answer is obvious- Reduce wastage and distribute surplus food. Did you know there is an organization in your country that dedicatedly works towards the reduction of hunger? It’s called the Robin Hood Army and they are present in different parts of India! The modus operandi is very simple, the RHA has  tie ups with various hotels and catering services in an around the city they operate and whenever they learn of surplus food, the group immediately gets together, collect the food and distribute it amongst some identified clusters in the city. The motto is simple- Reduce wastage and curb hunger.

India is the largest producer of milk across the globe and one of the major producers of vegetables and fruits; but it’s a shame to learn that 1/3rd of the undernourished people in the world live in India.  It’s also not a mystery to comprehend why the prices of milk and vegetables are twice as it should be-the answer is wastage!

Deepak Singh, RHA Navi Mumbai Chapter
RHA is moulded out of people like you and me who are concerned about this national issue of  hunger and wastage of food; but the only difference is-they are out there fighting ! Deepak Singh, Head of RHA Navy Mumbai Chapter said, “The team is young and full of energy and the only aim when we get together for a drive is to make most out of the food we have in hand and feed maximum people. The source of food is mainly through hotels and catering services so that the surplus food can be fed to people thereby also ensuring there is no wastage of food.”

On the tie-ups with various hotels he said, “ Bringing a new Hotel on board is always a challenge, however we are doing quite well in maintaining relationship with the existing ones; but the problem is not as complex as you think. Even if it’s a household party where we realize food is in  surplus, we immediately get together and distribute it to the needy.”


My confabulation with the RHA team members made me realize that a different outlook and a positive attitude and make a huge difference in our war against hunger; it begins with you, as you can be a Robin Hood in your own account. Whenever there is a small party you host or even attend, make sure there is no wastage of food – either you call a Robin or be a Robin. Before you abandon that last slice of sandwich or a glass of soft drink, look around – what matters not to you could mean life to someone!

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one”- Mother Teresa

If you wish to be a part of this organization, visit the Robin Hood Army page on Facebook and sign up there or visit http://robinhoodarmy.com/



Image Courtesy: The Robin Hood Image bank and Google 


References:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Food-worth-Rs-58k-crore-goes-waste-in-India-every-year/articleshow/20452251.cms
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2014/08/india-perishable-food-waste-population-growth/
http://robinhoodarmy.com/
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/an-army-of-robin-hoods-that-fight-hunger-2934688/