Mumbai: Bandra youths provide free meals to beggars and footpath dwellers

Yusuf Shaikh and his friends started distributing the meals 2-3 days ago

Beggars and footpath dwellers have been the worst affected in the city due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Many are forced to starve since they can no longer get alms as markets, shops and offices are shut due to the pandemic and most citizens have been staying at home. Fortunately, a group of boys from Bandra have stepped forward to help some of them.

Last week, struggling artiste Yusuf Shaikh stepped out of his Bandra home for some personal work, and saw the deplorable conditions of footpath dwellers who were hoping to get something to eat from people seen on the street.

What led to it

"Seeing them disturbed me, and I decided to distribute free meals to the destitute in Bandra," said 25-year-old Shaikh, who is a musician.

The Jain food meal that Arham Yuva Seva Group distributes

He approached a friend who owns a dhaba located at Bandra Reclamation for help to cook the food, and to get it packed into small packets, so that they could be distributed among beggars and footpath dwellers.

Shaikh said his friends - who were excited with his idea - Robert Metri, Altamash Theba, Rafi Khan, Mohsin Khan, Jazz Montario and Rohan Khan are helping him. Interestingly, all of them are Bandra locals and have different work profiles, including auto rickshaw driver, celebrity photographer, struggling singer, and social worker. They are not affiliated to any foundation or NGO.

"We have contributed money from our pockets for the food. We purchase vegetables, grains, chicken, etc., and get the food cooked at the dhaba. Then we move out in different directions in search of those who need it," Shaikh added. The food packets include chicken/veg biryani/pulav, daal rice/roti and a water bottle. The friends distribute the meals once a day.

"The children often demand biscuits and chocolates. So we are planning to carry some munchies for them provided we get them in the lockdown," he added.

A destitute person having the meal

The good Samaritans have also had heart-wrenching experiences while they have been out on their mission. While distributing food packets at Carter Road, they met a former security guard who had not eaten anything for the past four days. "He cried and showered us with blessings and told us that he wanted to return home but could not get a train ticket. He has been stranded on the road. He lost his job and had nothing to eat," added Shaikh.

‘We also help the police'

Asked if the police stop their vehicle, Shaikh said, "We have been helping people, so cops have been cooperating with us. We often ask them to check our vehicle where stacks of food packets and water bottles are kept for distribution. We also distribute water bottles to the cops as they too have been working round the clock." The group of Bandra boys has been distributing 315 food packets every day.

Food for patients and kin

An NGO, Arham Yuva Seva Group, has been distributing Jain food to Covid-19 patients and their family members.

"We have been distributing Jain food free of cost to Covid-19 patients and their family members in Mulund, Ghatkopar, Malad, Kandivli, Borivli, Sion, Wadala, Matunga, Parel, Dadar, Worli and Vasai," said Rajesh Bhai Shah, a member of the NGO in Vasai. The distribution is twice a day.

"Our tiffin service is named Param Tiffin Sahay and we give roti, sabji, daal, chawal and farsaan. We seek a Covid-19 report or the bill of tests before sending our tiffin to peoples' door step. The food distributor is well protected with a double mask, face shield, hand gloves, PPE suit, etc." said Shah, adding that more than 1,000 families have been availing this facility, as the family of an infected person also cannot leave the house.

315
No. of food packets distributed daily by the group