VOLUNTEER: Help feed the needy in India

Country: India
Type: Community
Minimum stay: 1 week
Cost: One week, £155

Accommodation is provided.

About the project:

India is known for its grand celebrations. In certain weddings and functions, more than 300 dishes are served – but much of it goes to waste. Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, there are workers and labourers who can’t afford two square meals a day.

And the impact of food waste is not just financial. The wasteful use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, the excess fuel used for transportation the methane released by rotting food all contribute to a heavy environmental impact too.

We are an NGO based in Jaipur that was set up to combat this problem, by collecting surplus foods from ceremonies, functions and events that have large amounts of leftovers. Anything approved by the organisation’s medical team as fit for consumption is redistributed to those in need, and anything that can’t be undergoes by-product recycling, anaerobic digestion and composting.

So far, approximately one million people benefited from the project,and more than 5000 have donated. The results have encouraged us to expand our projects, with innovations such as “The Sustenance Fridge” – a community fridge installed on a public street to allow local residents to share leftover food – and another campaign, which helped raise awareness of food-waste among children.

What you’ll be doing:

As well as raising awareness about India’s food waste problem and helping spread word about our work, volunteers are needed to collect food from donors and redistribute it to those in need.