Rajendra and other volunteers at a slum with the food distribution vehicle
MYSURU: As soon as the people see this vehicle entering their locality, they rush towards it to collect the food. This is a common sight in several slums in the city. In a city where tonnes of food gets wasted, H R Rajendra, a native of Aramane Hoonamachanahalli in Tumakuru, has been trying to bridge the gap between waste and want since the last six years. He collects surplus food from party halls, functions, marriage halls, restaurants, etc, and distributes it among the poor, beggars, orphanages, construction sites and slums in and around Mysuru.
volunteers of Akshaya Aahara
How this thought for food came to him is an interesting tale. Rajendra was returning home after attending a wedding some six years ago when he saw huge quantities of surplus food being thrown away in dustbins. Further on, in another choultry, he saw street urchins eating leftover food thrown in the garbage. Deeply hurt by this incident, he decided to collect the surplus food and distribute it. As a first step, he thought of distributing some food from his home. So he lied to his wife M K Shwetha, saying he needed food for ten guests. He distributed it to the beggars near the Railway Station and Suburban Bus Stand. He collected details from these beggars as to where they reside, and started visiting their places. He also started sharing his contact number with hotels, choultries and requested them to hand over the leftover food.
He had plans to construct a house. But he decided to use the money on his mission instead. He used the money to recruit volunteers, and purchased vehicles to transport food. Within a few months, he started Akshaya Aahara Jolige (Foundation).Being a central government employee (he works at Regional Museum of Natural History), he has a 5-day week. So during the weekends, he took up this mission. He starts receiving phone calls from 7.30am to 11pm. He visits schools and colleges to create awareness regarding preventing wastage of food, and motivates students to work as volunteers for the foundation at their convenience. This has helped him manage with four paid volunteers.
Says Rajendra, “I have observed that even some of the orphanages and old age homes collect excess food and waste it. They hesitate to say no, fearing they might not come to contribute next time. This mindset should also change.”“I have spent my savings for the foundation. To take it further I am planning to raise funds. Some people contribute towards cost of the fuel for the vehicle, while some donate money. An average of `60,000 is needed per month,” adds Rajendra.
“In the beginning, I used to receive only a couple of calls, but today, I attend to an average 50-60 calls, and the number increases during marriage seasons. My father being an agriculturist, I get some food grains for the cause. During my office hours, I forward calls to my wife so that she arranges to collect and distribute the food. Even my children support me during their holidays.”
“Earlier I used to spend a lot of time with friends. Now, they help me in their free time. Now a-days I hardly spend time with my family, or attend functions. There is an immense satisfaction in my life,” adds Rajendra.
CARING MINDS
Rajendra plans to come out with a directory containing the contact numbers of orphan homes located across Karnataka so that the people from all over the state can hand over the food. He has plans to start an initiative ‘Seeing hands and caring minds’, under which he wants to serve the food one time to a physically challenged or aged person who is living alone. As a next step, he wants to collect unused bags, and daily usable things from people and distribute them in the slums.
Those who wish to hand over the excess food can contact Rajendra on 9148987375.
