Anandini Fernandes
lawyer, Mumbai
Anandini Fernandes was thinking of a systematic way of giving back to society when she got the idea for One Family Soup Kitchen, which started as a monthly meal drive. She first approached the Robin Hood Army, which helped her identify areas where she could distribute food. Soon, friends and family offered to be part of the drive. Strangers would call her and ask whether they could contribute, and thus the initiative gathered steam. Preparing 10kg of food will feed up to 250 kids and 110 adults, she says. Each person is given a rice-based hot meal, with a fruit and a raita. Following in her footsteps, two individuals have started soup kitchens on this model in Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
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The change I would like to see
I feel that hunger is one issue where demand is more than supply, so it has been a constant goal to step up my efforts. I hope to increase the quantity of food and the number of days when it is distributed, and bring about this change consistently and sustainably.
As told to Sumitra Nair