Rise Against Hunger India (RAHI), a NGO (non-governmental organisation), has started supplying packaged food packets to these vulnerable worst-hit group. It plans to supply around 1.2 million meals to these groups across the cities in the coming months.

Under this lockdown across the country, in the wake of COVID-19, RAHI is planning to respond in two scenarios, both of which are equally important. 

They plan to continue uninterrupted supply of packaged meals to their existing group of beneficiaries. Simultaneously, RAHI is provisioning packaged meals to these vulnerable groups affected by the COVID-19 lockdown, who have been rendered jobless and are in dire need of support.

“Even if we take conservative estimates, about half-a-million such people will be in need of support in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Hyderabad alone. Hunger is the biggest enemy for these groups as of today, and we need to work towards providing them ample provisions, so that they along with their families can have two decent meals per day. In these tough times, we need to support them,” said Dola Mohapatra, executive director, RAHI.

“Today we distributed meal packets to about 65 families, who are primarily construction workers and daily wage earners. We hope to spread across all these cities through our network and provide meals to the vulnerable groups over the coming few days,” he added.

RAHI envisages that they will be a continued support required for about four to six months for some of the worst-hit communities in the current scenario.

“We would like to appeal to all corporate groups, large business houses and other organisations who wish to contribute to come forward and help in providing basic food to these people and prevent them from succumbing to hunger,” Mohapatra said.

Apart from food, RAHI is also planning to mobilise essentials like cooking oil, spices, masks, etc., which can be utilised by these people.