300 weeks of fighting hunger
This initiative began with a question — “Why should anyone sleep hungry? The roots of Project Nivaala (a mouthful) go back to the early days of our club, when the RAC Ahmedabad Midtown, RID 3055, was started by the engineering department students from the LJ Institutes. We were students, young, energetic, and driven to create real change,” says Vikas Gera, the club’s past president.
As part of the institute’s social responsibility efforts, different departments were assigned weekly service initiatives. The engineering department was responsible for Sunday activities, and for two years, the students passionately participated in distributing meals. The turning point came when Gera asked his club members, “Why not take this beyond the campus? Why not make it a full-fledged Rotaract initiative?”
He approached the Head of the Department, and soon after, “our members identified underprivileged areas across Ahmedabad where hunger was a daily reality.” Every Sunday the club began serving meals in those areas. The expense was completely taken care of by the members of the club. “We would procure raw materials, collaborate with the LJ canteen to cook fresh food, and then our members would personally distribute meals, ensuring not just food, but dignity, smiles, and hope were also delivered,” says Gera.
One of the most important parts of Nivaala’s journey was the “Garage on Wheels, an old car refurbished by the engineering students of my college for an academic project. Once the project ended, our members repurposed it into the official Nivaala Van, which is lovingly driven every Sunday by Niraj Kaka, the security guard at LJ College and now an irreplaceable member of our Rotaract family.”
Even the pandemic could not stop their compassion. “Just a year after Nivaala began, COVID-19 struck the world. Streets emptied, life paused, but hunger didn’t. While everything else was shut down, Nivaala continued,” he smiles and adds “with masks on, courage in our hearts and food in our hands, our club members continued serving consistently, fearlessly, and responsibly.”
Unfortunately, the original Nivaala car caught fire. “But we were determined to keep the project going. Food was delivered through members cars and on the club’s Charter Day in 2024, we proudly unveiled a brand-new Nivaala Van.”
“Hunger doesn’t wait, neither do we,” says Savan Barbhaya, the current president and adds, “whether it is 45°C hot, monsoon floods or a pandemic curfew, our volunteers show up. We’ve promised Ahmedabad that every Sunday, someone will eat because of Nivaala.” Over time, that small act grew into a weekly commitment. Today, around 80 people are fed every week—including the elderly, children, homeless families, and migrant workers. To make it sustainable, the team also collects untouched surplus food from weddings, hotels, and social gatherings.
The project runs on club funds, crowdfunding, and small donations. Together, Rotaractors have raised more than ₹5 lakh and put in over 3,500 volunteer hours. Club member Supan Shah says “the experience has been as important for us as it has been for the city. It’s not just about food, it’s about learning to show up for others.” The initiative has completed 300 weeks in a row, serving more than 25,000 meals. The club now plans to scale up, aiming to serve 1,000 meals a month by 2030 through partnerships with NGOs and businesses. But for both Shah says, “the focus remains on consistency.”
“On a recent Sunday, an elderly man accepted his meal packet with folded hands, whispering a quiet ‘thank you’ before settling down on the pavement to eat. For us that moment said it all. Nivaala isn’t just about feeding people. It is about making sure no one is left behind,” he says.
Another initiative by the club, Shuttlers 4.0, turned a badminton tournament into a festival of sport and spirit. “With over 60 players in singles and doubles and a buzzing crowd cheering them on, it has become one of our most vibrant and celebrated projects of the year,” says Savan Barbhaya.
