Community Kitchen

Community Kitchen

Marathwada has been facing continuous drought since 2015. Extreme drought situations led to an increase in water scarcity, low crop yield, and food shortages which in turn escalated the numbers of farmers suicides and distress migration in the region. To control the situation, MANAVLOK with an ideology of “Gaanv Ka Paani and Gaanv ke log Gaanv mei hi rehne chahiye” started watershed management activities in the villages. We appealed to the villagers to practice compartment bunding (one of the watershed management activities to increase water storage capacity) on their own farm as “Sharmdaan” and in return, we provided them with a one-time meal. The initiative had a profound impact. It gave the villagers especially poor elderly people to get at least one-time meal. Realizing the hardships senior citizens had to face every day. MANAVLOK came up with the idea of initiating a kitchen to support and provide two-time meals to the villagers who are above 65 years with no source of income, people with disabilities, destitute, widows and elderly orphans. With the help of Caring Friends, MANAVLOK started the first kitchen in October 2016 in Sonwala Village. The program runs with a participatory approach wherein a small contribution is given by the beneficiary itself. The intention behind this is that beneficiaries should feel a sense of ownership and partnership. Starting with 11 beneficiaries in 2016, we reached a total beneficiary of 950+ by the end of 2021. At present, 40 Trupti Kitchens are running benefitting 525+ senior citizens from 40 villages in Ambajogai, Kaij and Dharur in Beed district and Lohara & Omerga in Dharashiv district and Latur from Latur district. Apart from running the community kitchen, MANAVLOK is supporting the beneficiaries in health care and personal care by providing them with sticks, tiffin, wheelchairs, beds, commode chairs, urine pots and solar lamps. During festivals, we prepare special feasts along with a variety of snacks and sweets for our beneficiaries. We also celebrate their birthdays to make them feel special, wanted and loved. The program has a huge impact on the mental and physical well-being of the elderly. They feel more included and a part of the community.