1m meals for excluded women & children

A few weeks ago, in a bustling room at our Bihar center, I watched as 10-year-old Arti (name changed) proudly carried her plate of pulao to the table. She beamed as she sat down, surrounded by her friends, and shared stories of her school day. Arti’s family struggles to make ends meet, and this meal—just like every other meal she’s received here—is often her only source of nourishment. But in that moment, she wasn’t just eating a meal; she was soaking in the joy of belonging and the confidence of being cared for.

Stories like Arti’s have defined our last three months. Every day, we served fresh meals to 50 children at the center—plates filled with rice, dal, vegetables, puri, and kheer, dishes that nurtured both their health and their spirits. In this quarter alone, we delivered 936 ration kits to families across Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and other states, reaching 4,305 individuals, including 1,292 women and 2,152 children. Each kit was packed with essentials to ensure families could face their days with strength and hope. Since the program began, we have shared 1,44,15,600 meals, touching countless lives.

Fostering Cheer and Change

• Education We distributed computers to three girls pursuing higher studies and provided monthly school supplies to keep children on track academically
• Health Our team facilitated hospital referrals, ensuring critical care for women and children in need
• Housing In Bihar, families affected by floods rebuilt their homes with our support, reclaiming safety and stability

Help us reach even more families in need this holiday season Every meal counts and every contribution makes a difference

Meet Uma (name changed), a determined woman from Kolkata's red-light area who has transformed her life with the support of Apne Aap. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Uma faced an uncertain future, struggling to provide for her child with no stable income or access to essential resources. Through Apne Aap's food distribution program, Uma's family received regular meals, allowing her to focus on rebuilding her life. With our assistance, Uma enrolled in a training program to learn how to make sanitary pads. We also helped secure a loan from a bank for the down payment on a pad-making machine and the rent for a small workspace. Today, Uma successfully runs her sanitary pad business, ensuring Since the onset of the economic downturn, Apne Aap has been relentless in its efforts to support the most vulnerable. We have distributed millions of meals, ensuring that 50,000 children and women in red-light areas, refugee camps, and migrant slums do not face starvation. Essential medicines have been provided to those in desperate need, and school supplies have reached thousands of children, allowing them to continue their education despite the challenging circumstances. Our vaccination drives and healthcare referrals have been crucial in preventing the spread of illness and managing severe health cases among these populations.

In our most recent efforts, Apne Aap has intensified its outreach, ensuring no child or woman is left without support. We have set up food distribution centers across multiple regions, coordinated with local health authorities to facilitate vaccinations, and provided oxygen cylinders and hospital referrals to those affected by health crises. Our collaboration with partner organizations and government bodies has been instrumental in expanding our reach and impact. Additionally, we have started initiatives to equip women with skills training and access to microloans, aiming to create sustainable livelihoods for them.

The socio-economic impact of the crisis is profound and likely to persist. Recognizing this, Apne Aap is committed to a long-term strategy that goes beyond immediate relief. As part of this sustainable approach, we have transformed our food distribution program into food banks within our community centers in Bihar and Bengal. These food banks provide a critical lifeline for women transitioning from unstable and dangerous livelihoods, especially in areas frequently hit by floods, cyclones, and evictions due to infrastructure projects. By maintaining these food banks, we ensure that children remain in school and women have access to food security as they transition to more stable lives.Our goal is to help women rebuild their lives, ensuring they have the tools and resources to support their families.

Through these multifaceted efforts, Apne Aap continues to champion the cause of the most marginalized, fostering resilience and hope for a better future.

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