Khushroo Poacha wanted to feed kin of the poor in hospitals. The result was an initiative that now spans 7 cities.
Article by Disha Shetty | dnaindia.com
Khushroo Poacha, 38, holds a regular job with the Central Railways in its commercial department in Nagpur. Married and blessed with a young girl child, there is one thing that makes him stand out. An idea that he conceived two years back has now come to fruition and feeds around 2,500 people every week.
“My mother was then hospitalised in Nagpur for a surgery. I saw a lot of people sitting outside the hospital, cooking chappatis on a brick kiln to make ends meet,” shares Poacha. His mother suggested that if he was so touched by their plight then he should do something for them.
“My mother passed away two months later, but I wanted to follow up on her suggestion. I called a friend, Amit, who came to the hospital the following Sunday and distributed 25 packets of food,” Poacha says.
That was the start of Seva kitchen. Next week he himself joined in and realised that cooking at home would allow them to feed more people at the same cost. Soon more people joined in and Poacha assumed the role of a coordinator.
What started as an initiative that was done once a week in two hospitals in Nagpur spread across cities. “On Fridays, I coordinate with different groups. There are some hospitals where the relatives are provided meals every day and not just on Sundays,” Poacha explains.
Two years since it started, the initiative has spread to seven cities – Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and New Delhi.
There are a few ground rules Poacha sticks to. No one is allowed to contribute money. Everyone brings food cooked at home and distributes it. Also, there will be no discrimination based on caste, gender, creed or colour.
“Once a lady from Hyderabad was distributing food in her area and a friend visiting from Australia wanted to contribute. We refused to accept money so he now orders bananas online, that is distributed every Sunday,” Poacha shares.
Those contacting him include both young and old alike. While Poacha wanted to feed relatives of those in hospitals, there are young volunteers from Mumbai and Navi Mumbai who have taken to feeding the homeless and those living on the streets every week.
Today, the Seva initiative provides 2,500 meals every week, touching as many lives.
“You don’t need a lot of money to do good work, you just need a lot of passion,” signs off Poacha.