Food for People, an innovative food-aid initiative of The Prem Rawat Foundation in a tribal area of northern India, has been a resounding success. Responding to interest in other areas of India and also in Nepal, the Foundation would like to open three new facilities where the effort would give people the hope of breaking through the downward cycle of poverty and malnutrition.
The Food for People Story
In Bantoli, a remote tribal area in the state of Jharkhand in northern India, life has been a struggle for survival for the people in several villages. Malnutrition has made many adults too weak to work, either on their small plots of land or in the local village shops. Over 60% of preschool children are reported to be underweight and many of the older children have to forage for rats’ nests to find hidden morsels of food. By the time they are 10 or 11, most children have had to quit school to work in exchange for food. The entire population has been vulnerable to serious disease, making it nearly impossible for many adults to work or care for their children and the elderly.
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When Prem Rawat visited the area, he saw a people “rich in heart” but lacking the most basic necessities. They were making every effort to provide for their families, but were sinking further and further into poverty. The Prem Rawat Foundation, in cooperation with Premsagar Foundation, an Indian charity with similar goals, began to work with village elders to design a program that would provide hot, nutritious food to the people in need. Within a short time, a 10,000-square-foot facility was erected, with a dining area and a large clean kitchen, capable of serving hundreds of meals at a time. Listen to Prem Rawat speak about FFP
High standards of cleanliness, a line of faucets where people can wash their hands before going in to eat, and modern toilet facilities create an awareness of hygiene that is new to the community.
When the facility opened, in March of 2006, hundreds of adults and small children came every day for meals, walking up to two miles from their homes. Two meals a day were served to children and one meal a day for adults. The smiles lighting up small faces as they delved into generous servings of hot, delicious food, balanced for nutrition and seasoned according to local custom, were the first signs of success. Soon, there were many others.
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After a few weeks, there was a noticeable decrease in the number of working-age adults coming for meals. As soon as they had regained their strength, the adults had gone back to work and started supporting their families again. Before long, the village elders reported that the children needed only one meal a day instead of two. Families were now able to eat together at home in the evenings. As the months passed, little bodies began to fill out and teachers reported that children were more able to listen and learn. Two young brothers, who had been mostly silent for over a year, began to speak again. Change was clearly afoot.
Next, the older children began to come for meals. No longer having to work for food, they were able to go back to school again, coming for a meal on their way home. At Food for People, they also watch educational television shows from Discovery Channel or the National Geographic Channel in Hindi, providing them their first introduction to other places and cultures. One middle-school girl, when asked recently what she wanted to be when she grew older, said with a shyly confident smile, “A doctor.”
Given a chance, these people who so deeply value their dignity and ability to be self-reliant, have begun to turn their lives around. They can now have hope that their children will be healthy, receive an education, and have opportunities their parents never dreamed possible.
Now there is an opportunity for all of us. Other areas in India and Nepal would like to have Food for People facilities, tailored to their needs. And The Prem Rawat Foundation would like to be able to say YES.
The Opportunity |
TPRF wants to expand and strengthen The Prem Rawat Foundation. To do this it needs to reach out to build a broader base, receiving more contributions of all amounts so it can offer more grants to those in need. The Foundation is in the process of launching a five-year plan that includes opening three new Food for People facilities, while continuing its current disaster-relief efforts whenever possible. What is needed now is your help, and we are looking forward to an enthusiastic response.
Gifts of all amounts, from individuals or groups anywhere in the world, can combine to make this next step possible. Every contribution will make a measurable difference, and we invite everyone to participate in whatever way they can. If you would like to be a part of this rewarding effort, please visit our "Giving" page to make a contribution online. You can also mail a check or money order to:
The Prem Rawat Foundation
PO Box 24-1498
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Brochure and DVD Available
We are pleased to offer you a complimentary 10-minute DVD and brochure featuring the current Food for People program in Bantoli. If you would like to receive this material, and are not already on the Friends of TPRF mailing list, you may subscribe to our postal mailing lists, and we will mail a packet to you shortly.
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Please stay tuned to Inspire to track the results of our combined efforts!
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The Prem Rawat Foundation was founded by Prem Rawat, known worldwide as Maharaji, whose aim is to improve the quality of life for people in need by providing food, water, medical care, and disaster relief.
Discover more about Prem Rawat, his message of hope and peace, and the humanitarian activities of The Prem Rawat Foundation
