The Food for People Story Begins...

In the Spring of 2003, Prem Rawat arrived by helicopter in Jharkhand, India, to speak to a large crowd gathered for an outdoor event. Jharkhand is one of India's poorest states, with a harsh terrain that makes navigation by car nearly impossible. Only one quarter of its 32,000 villages have roads, and only 8% have electricity.

When the helicopter landed, Prem Rawat was greeted by a number of curious children from the nearby village of Bantoli. Although the children appeared underfed and destitute, their cheerfulness and spirit touched him deeply.

As he inquired about their situation, he learned that these children, under the age of five, have twice the mortality rate of those in the rest of India. Often, there is so little food in the village that the adults become sick and cannot work. No work means no food. It is a setup for a cycle of poverty with no end.

The children's plight fueled Prem Rawat's desire to help. His vision was simple:

• Provide daily nutritious, hot meals in the local cuisine for children & infirm adults
• Include hygiene education to help stem the spread of disease
• Hire local villagers to help run the facility
• Grow and/or purchase food locally to support the economy
• Provide education in more productive agricultural methods
• Consult community leaders in design of program
• Adjust the program to changing needs

In 2006 the first program implementing this vision opened in Bantoli, India. Prem Rawat hoped that this consistent, daily nourishment could be a "leg up" that would allow the community to rebuild. He called his model program Food For People (FFP).

Since that time, two other facilities have opened, one in Nepal and one in Ghana. Improvements that were never imagined are happening in those communities.

VISIT THE FOOD FOR PEOPLE FACILITIES IN INDIA, NEPAL, AND GHANA VIA THE SLIDE SHOW BELOW. You may also view in full screen mode by hovering over the photo and clicking on the screen icon under the picture.

 

Food for People Program: First in India...   Next in Nepal...   Now in Ghana...