Nutrition support for 2000 vulnerable daily wage workers by Annapoorna Trust in collaboration with The Global Alliance For Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Foundation – Tamil Nadu, West Bengal & Karnataka States
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the United Nations in 2002 to tackle human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with governments, businesses, and civil society, they aim to transform food systems so that they deliver more nutritious food for all people, especially the most vulnerable. The Covid-19 pandemic is a social and an economic crisis just as much as it is a health one – its repercussions, severe and far-reaching, are being felt across the world. With rise in unemployment rate and a decline in income in several households, several informal workers are getting pushed into deeper poverty. Annapoorna Trust in collaboration with The Global Alliance For Improved Nutrition (GAIN) have come forward to the assistance of these vulnerable populations.
Distribution of six hundred grocery kits took place in different districts of West Bengal shown below in the table:
Date | District | Village | Kits |
02-10-21 | Howrah | Gondalpara | 27 |
02-10-21 | Hooghly | Kaliara | 50 |
02-10-21 | Hooghly | Birendranagar | 29 |
02-10-21 | Kolkata | Kolkata | 1 |
02-10-21 | South 24pgs | Budgebudge | 1 |
06-10-21 | Hooghly | Mogra | 50 |
07-10-21 | Nadia | Kalyani | 40 |
08-10-21 | Howrah | Jabdapota | 80 |
09-10-21 | South 24pgs | Hasnabad | 52 |
09-10-21 | South 24pgs | Ganthipur | 40 |
21-10-21 | Sundarbans, South 24pgs | Chunakhali | 230 |
Total | 600 |
Due diligence and care was taken in identifying the truly needy families. A total of six hundred grocery kits were distributed to daily wage labourers, fishermen, agriculturists, food warehouse workers, cooks, etc.
On 21-Oct, as a part of the relief programme, 230 needy people who were affected due to current COVID pandemic received 1 Month dry ration kits in West Bengal. This distribution programme at Chunakali took place in the presence of Smt. Dipali Bairagi – Panchayat Pradhan, Sri Naresh Chandra Naskar – Upa-Pradhan Chunakhali Gram Panchayat, Sri Nimai Mali – Headmaster of Chunakhali Hatkhola Free primary school. It is to be noted that, Nimai Mali is also the recipient of Shiksha Ratna Award 2021 felicitated by West Bengal Government.
Each kit consists of 5kg Rice, 1ltr refined oil(fortified), 5kg Ashirwad Atta(fortified), 1ltr Tata salt(fortified), 2 kg Toordal, 1kg Urad dal, and 1kg Chana dal.
Testimonials of recipients can be seen in this You Tube video.
One of the lady recipients spoke as, “We live in the Sundarbans. Last year in the cyclone our houses were destroyed. Everything was washed away in the flooded river. We are greatly satisfied with the help provided by Annapurna. We hope that in future you will help us again.”
Another recipient narrated as, “Last year in the Amphan Cyclone our houses were destroyed, and all our belongings were swept away in the flood. The assistance that we received from your Trust helped us greatly to survive. We request for continued assistance.”
“In the storm all our houses and belongings were destroyed. We would have gone hungry along with our children. The provisions that we received from Annapurna Trust & GAIN foundation helped us greatly. We could survive and did not have to go hungry.”
Know more about Annapoorna’s prevention and relief activities during the covid pandemic, glance through our content and newsletters at COVID-19 Support