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Rise Against Hunger India (RAHI) celebrates World Food Day

Organizes biggest worldwide meal packaging & distribution drive; attempts to break Guinness World Record

Rejoice 20 years of the fight against hunger of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #2

Bengaluru, 17thOctober, 2018: As per statistics of the United Nations, India is home to 190.7 million undernourished people - a 14.5% prevalence of hunger in comparison with its total population. Hunger is one of the major concern areas for countries around the world. The UN resolution on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #2 aims to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030, making sure all people including children have access to enough and nutritious food all year round.

This World Food Day, Rise Against Hunger India (RAHI), joins a global initiative led by Rise Against Hunger network by participating in the biggest worldwide meal packaging & distribution drive. Rise Against Hunger will bring volunteers in several locations to break the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the Most people assembling hunger relief packages simultaneously (multiple venues).  This initiative is being undertaken in response to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s public call to action, set on the theme ‘Our Actions are Our Future: #ZEROHUNGER BY 2030 is possible’.

Rise Against Hunger India understands that eliminating hunger by 2030 is possible by engaging people from every walk of life and making hunger-action a priority for everyone. The meal packaging programs work as a platform to engage volunteers on direct, tangible action on hunger. Speaking on the initiative, Mr Dola Mohapatra, Executive Director, Rise Against Hunger India (formerly Stop Hunger Now India), said, “a hunger-free world by 2030 is ambitious but an achievable goal, and it IS indeed possible to achieve #ZeroHunger.  India has achieved good progress in terms of absolute numbers in containing stunting and wasting among children.  However, in the recently released Global Hunger Index 2018 report, India ranked 103rd out of 119 qualifying countries and with a composite score of 31.1, India suffers from a serious level of hunger. This calls for drastic action if we want our next generation to be productive and capable citizens.  There is no time to lose.  World Food Day is the perfect time to act!”

“By engaging volunteers on hands-on meal packaging activities, Rise Against Hunger India is creating hunger champions and hunger warriors who would personally connect with the cause and encourage others in their surrounding to take action.  By providing direct food assistance by building resilient, self-sufficient and empowered communities, we envisage accelerated steps to end hunger for the millions of people who do not receive enough food to live healthy, active lives.”

In order to address the issue of hunger, focus needs to be on the availability and access to quality food for the population with necessary nutrients. Apart from meal packaging programs, RAHI is working with Mobile Healthcare Units, Nutrition Supplements, Crisis Relief Project and Livelihood and food security in various regions.