Reaching out to the hungry in Ahmedabad
In a mega food distribution drive, around 10–15 Rotaractors of RC Ahmedabad Mid Town, RID 3055, come together every Sunday to serve 50kg of khichdi, a pudding made of rice and lentils with other ingredients, at Makarba, a jhuggi jhopdi (squatter settlements) in the city. “Project Nivaala (food bite) is a five-year-old initiative that reaches out to underprivileged families in slums by providing wholesome, nutritious food,” says club secretary Savan Barbhaya. In a year, they hold at least 60 Nivaala camps (or drives) including those on festivals like Holi, Diwali and Navratri.
Food is cooked at the canteen of the L J Group of Institutions in the morning, and brought to the Makarba venue. “We also cover nearby areas where there is a large spread of shanties and ramshackle huts, and distribute food to just over 100 people in a Nivaala drive. While around 10 food camps are done jointly with other Rotaract clubs, the rest are managed by us through sponsors and large-hearted donors,” he explains.
Following the success of a general health camp-cum dental screening at the Jeevan Sandhya, an old age home, that benefited 200 elderly inmates, “we will be expanding our medical camp that will now include a physiotherapy session and eye screening for the senior citizens.” While 105 patients were examined at the health camp where a general physician and dentist extended their service in August, “it was found that the elders, most of them over 70 years, are in need of other health services. So, we will be gradually expanding our medical service at this old age home in the coming months.”
Project Aahaar (food) distributes food to cows, birds and dogs on Saturdays as pet-loving Rotaractors “are passionate about domestic animals that we see in our daily life.” The club holds two meetings a month — BoD and general body — to chart out the finer details of upcoming projects. “We ask our members if there are issues they want to raise and also include them in our agenda which will be taken up and discussed in the meeting,” says Barbhaya.
Expressing his thanks to the parent, RC Ahmedabad Mid Town, he says, “Rotarians guide us through our project activities, apart from extending mentorship.” Working as an IT professional, Barbhaya (25), recalls, “that it was an exciting, fun-filled three-year Rotaract journey so far, from being an extreme introvert to a confident public speaker, I have travelled a good distance in shaping my personality.”
While Rotaract has taught him leadership skills, “more than that, it has brought me a sense of community responsibility in me which I will cherish in my life. I will definitely become a Rotarian in the near future, but now my focus in on continuing with Rotaract activities,” he smiles.
