“Ek Mutthi Anaaj” is an initiative which was started back in the year of 2004 by the MCKS, Food for Hungry Foundation. And to consider the fact that they have collected 8000 kg of cereal as of now, is just an example of how effective this initiative has been in its purpose to promote the “Zero Hunger Act”.
I was fortunate enough to be a part of this initiative to help make a difference. Initially, the project seemed to be next to impossible for me to conduct in the school with the young children of the PYP. Though with the help of Ms. Vijayshree Pahal (CAS coordinator) and the trustee I was able to put up a good show.
A lot of preparation and planning went into the success of this activity. From littlest jobs of getting the bags, calendars, pencils and magnets ready for distribution, to the approval of the activity by the principal and onto the speech and representation finally.
As a firm believer in helping the needy, this cause struck me more than any other maybe because of the straightforwardness of this activity.
With the help of my team, CAS coordinator and the PYP coordinator we arranged for an assembly for the children of grades 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively. We spoke to them about the importance of food in our lives and the consequences if we didn’t get any. We informed the children about the olden times where hunger was at its least but due increasing population and negligence of people, hunger started increasing too.
Then the activity was introduced wherein each child got a bag (from the initiative) and in the bag we provided them with a calendar, magnet and a pencil. So with the help of the magnet the children were told to put the calendar on their refrigerators. Each day the children would put a fistful of uncooked rice only in the packet for a period of 2 weeks, and with the pencil they would have to mark on the calendar for each day they put the grains in the packet or a cross if they didn’t.
The response from the children was phenomenal! They were super- excited about “helping the poor and needy people” since they realized that they would get “sad” and “sick” if they didn’t get any food.
My experience from talking to the trustee and making the kids understand, was truly enriching. Especially the response from the children was like a cherry on the top since I knew we succeeded in our motives right there!
And not only that, the greatest surprise came over when the principal told me she would love to do this activity.!
We were also able to get a large contribution from the IB (11th and 12th graders) and as well as from around 15 teachers.
By the end of the month of the activity, we were able to collect 175 Kgs of rice.
I wish to continue to such endeavors in the future to become a socially responsible citizen and a better person overall. A sincere thanks to the Principal: Ms Neeta Bali, CAS Coordinator: Ms Vijayshree Pahal and PYP Coordinator: Pretty Khosla, who supported me with the cause and throughout the course of the activity.
Aatishi Sharma
