Mumbai: Amid nationwide lockdown and complete business shutdown, mass hunger looms for daily-wage earners who live from hand to mouth. Nikhat Muhammadi – a hijab clad woman ought to feed such vulnerable groups and is serving almost 100,000 people a day in country’s financial capital Mumbai.
As the Covid-19 fear still looming over our heads, hundreds of millions of Indians are forced to stay inside their homes to stem the spread of coronavirus. Apart from the government, medical practitioners, health workers and law enforcement agencies, civil society too has geared up to play its part.
Nikhat along with her team helps to prepare food at Bhisti Mohalla Sunni Muslim Ghanchi Jamaatkhana in Mumbai and distributes them to nearby slums.
“We were a mere handful of people when we started but now we have more than ten NGOs collaborating with us. Moreover, we only cook vegetarian food as the food distribution is not restricted to any particular community or religion as hunger sees no religion,” explains Nikhat.
Video Credit: ETV Bharat Urdu
“No one Ever Sleeps Hungry (NESH) – a food distribution movement for around 200 to 250 people started 8 months ago from Muslim majority locality Nagpada in Byculla under the banner of Food – Ek Choti Si Aasha”, says Zaheer Dewan – NGO member.
Talking about the “Be Human Foundation” journey so far, Nikhat narrates, “We initially started the distribution with 150 people and today we reached almost 97,000 people. Now we are aiming to reach 500,000 slum dwellers in coming days”.
Government issued guidelines are strictly being followed while carrying out the entire cooking and distribution process. The personnel involved wear protective gear and hand glows for containment efforts and to remain protected from the virus.
It is commendable to see a woman coming from a society which expects them to remain closed doors, is running and leading such large initiative along with men counterparts.
Such noble ventures always need funds to sustain which helps people sail through tough times.