India, with a population of over 1.3 billion, has seen tremendous growth in the past two decades. Gross Domestic Product has increased 4.5 times and per capita consumption has increased 3 times. Similarly, food grain production has increased almost 2 times. Despite the good economic performance, with over 200 million people who are food insecure, India is home to the largest number of hungry people in the world and is unable to feed its population and provide access to food to a large number of people, especially women and children. In the ranking of the Global Hunger Index 2017, it covers position 100 out of 119 ranked countries and has a serious food security situation.

AJMAL FOUNDATION is involved with community food distribution every year. We distribute food packets to the poor and needy people who are deprived of the basic amenities of life. The main objective of the program is to provide relief in the form of food packets to the poor and destitute masses so that they can observe the fasts during the holy month of Ramadan. As Assam has regularly borne the brunt of natural calamities like floods, cyclone and soil erosion; this project provides solace to these families.

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Why is it so urgent?

India is home to the largest number of hungry people in the world and is unable to feed its population and provide access to food to a large number of people. The basic reasons for conducting the Community Food distribution program are:

To assist the people who are worst affected by natural calamities like flood, soil erosion and cyclone and enable them to have access to food commodities. Assam itself bears the brunt of flood and soil erosion every year. Food distribution programs in the affected areas are needed to a large extent.

As 25.70 % of people are living Below the Poverty Line in rural India, this project provides solace to these masses.

The food distribution program is conducted during the month of Ramadan too; in order to help the poor and needy people access food commodities for the holy month. This enables them to observe the mandatory fasts without any difficulties.

How will we do it?

Under this Project, we distribute “Food Packets” containing food items like Dates, Rice, Mustard Oil, Sugar, Lentils and Grams to the poor and needy. The beneficiaries are shortlisted taking into consideration their economic status. They mainly belong to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) group who has been directly or indirectly affected by natural or manmade calamities. The distribution program is conducted during calamities and also during the month of Ramadan. The thought behind this project is that target beneficiaries should be able to access food commodities and acquire whatever little solace they can through the project.. Our team implements the project with full fervor and proper planning and execution. A thorough survey is conducted throughout the affected areas in order to identify the genuine beneficiaries who are in actual need of help. The beneficiaries are identified with the help of a few local prominent personalities. These are those masses that had either been driven out of their homes due to ethnic violence or due to natural calamities like flood, soil erosion, earthquakes and cyclones. They have been staying in temporary sheds or relief camps ever since; yet to be fully rehabilitated. Our organization maintains full transparency of each and every work done within the project framework. We ensure proper documentation with detailed beneficiary records of the defined project with time bound implementation.

What have we done in the past?

In the past, several Community Food Distribution Programs have been implementedthroughout the country by AJMAL FOUNDATION. In 2017, 150000 people benefitted from our project in Assam while 7500 benefitted from Bihar. Similarly, 5000 people benefitted from our project in West Bengal in the year 2017. In 2016, around 76000 people benefitted from our project in Assam.

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