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Big-hearted ladies from the Women Across empowerment team have launched a community initiative aimed at feeding the less fortunate in Bahrain.
Every Friday, the generous group sets up ‘Community Pantry’ tables at different locations across the island featuring a range of groceries and daily essentials that will ease the lives of families struggling during these difficult times.
The concept came about when a team member saw an article about Ana Patricia Non from the Philippines who set up a bamboo cart packed with vegetables and food products on Maginhawa Street in Quezon City and opened a community pantry where the poor who needed food could get some for free.
“We were inspired by her generosity and wanted to create that same community feel by launching our own initiative in Bahrain,” said Sumithra Praveen, co-founder of Women Across, formerly called The Women of India Series Bahrain. Its members have created an array of workshops, programmes and activities to celebrate women in recent years. “Our motto for this charity initiative is to give what you can and take what you need. We hope our pantry will help make a difference in some lives.”
The caring campaign started with the distribution of goods such as bread, biscuits, eggs, cheese, grains, oil, fruits, vegetables and more, in Hidd on September 10. Another Community Pantry was held in Umm Al Hussam on September 17.
The group is planning another Community Pantry this Friday and the location will be announced on its social media pages.
“We are at different locations every Friday for two hours, except on the last Friday of every month when we will be working on our Monthly Kitchen Project,” said Anupama Binu, project co-ordinator. The Monthly Kitchen project involves five women cooking up meals from their homes and distributing them to 25 individuals around Bahrain.
“We welcome donations and thank all the donors who have supported the initiative so far,” added Sumithra. “Some well-wishers provided us with vegetables and groceries which we have already distributed. Some helped us purchase items by paying for it. Also, we do not accept cooked food, only grocery items.”
Donations can include sauces, cereals, canned food, long-life dairy products, tea bags, coffee, noodles, bread, biscuits, sugar, eggs, butter, cheese, rice, wheat, oats, oil, fruits and vegetables and so on.
“We have received support from businesses and individuals and we are grateful that they believe in us,” said Sumithra. “Women Across aims to become a go-to place for people in need.”
Those interested in supporting the cause can contact 39062720 and 32150833 or follow the group @womenacross_ on Instagram.
