Mangaluru, Dec 6: The coastal city of Mangaluru, which is infamous for 'food waste', has now got its first sidewalk fridge to feed the poor and hungry thanks to the benevolence of a young businessman.
Arafath Ameen, who owns a chain of cyber cafes in Mangaluru, has kept a fridge in front of one of his cafes near KMC Hospital off Balmatta Road. According to Arafath, a few students who visited his cyber cafe for project works on nature and food wastage inspired him to take this novel initiative.
The initiative allows the public to share excess food with poor people. All one has to do is to pack the food and keep it inside the sidewalk fridge from where the needy can take it. The poor are allowed to take only what they need. To ensure that the food doesn't go waste, the facility is monitored through CCTV.
In fact, for past few years, Arafath was thinking how one can find a solution to people wasting food which can be utilised for the needy. “I discussed this issue with relatives and friends. Once, while searching on the internet, I found out this method,” he said adding that the dream was materialised on December 2.
As an initial gesture, Arafath spending Rs 700 every day to store fresh food including fruits and dosa in the fridge. Inspired by him, his relatives and friends too are using the facility to feed the hungry.
“Yesterday, someone kept pulav packets, sandwiches, apples, lassi and mineral water in the fridge,” he said while expressing happiness that the facility was used by needy and helpless people in last four days.
“This is just a trial. After 15 days I will make upper section of the fridge for vegetarian food and lower section for non-vegetarian food,” said Arafath clarifying that pork, beef and alcohol are not allowed. He also said that he would purchase a huge double-door fridge if the initiative becomes successful.
“Wasting food is a sin. We should feed the hungry instead,” says Arafath's father Noorullah, who also encouraged his son to set up such a facility.
Comments
GOOD JOB...KEEP IT UP...MAY ALLAH BLESS YOU.
MashaAllah great job
I know the family personally...generous indeed.
May Almighty shower his bounty on him & his family.
May Allah help you in this noble cause.
Feeding the poor is an act of getting great reward from Allah
A noble work indeed. Each and every restaurant in Mangaluru should follow this model to avoid food waste.
MashaAllah great job!! Our government must think to implement such wonderful facility for needy people in each place.
great, may Allah reward your for this.
Mr Arafath, please watch the CCTV footage properly to find out whether Naren Kotian also comes there to take food!
Masha Allah. Avery good initiative. May Allah accept the intention and reward you accordingly. ameen. Allah's Rasoolullaahi SAS said, '\The one who looks after a widow or a poor person is like a Mujaahid (fighter) who fights for Allah's Cause, or like him who performs prayers all the night and fasts all the day\" (Narrated Abu Hurairha RA) Sahih Al-Bukhari."
Excellent and noble work. I wish you get reward for this social cause.
very good job,mashaallah.
Good Work Mr. Arafath. Keep it up.
Good initiative. May god bless this young man.
good work, keep it up bro, this should a big hit.
Really wonderful work. Prime Minister Narendra Modiji will mention your name in his next Man Ki Baath!
Noble deed by Noorullaka's son. May god bless you Mr Arafath. You have set an example. Keep it up. Mangaluru will support you.
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