Indian Charity Provides Thousands of Ukrainian Refugees with Food Relief

The Akshaya Patra Foundation (TAPF), a registered, independent Indian charity, through its UK chapter, has been supplying food supplies to thousands of Ukrainian refugees at the Polish border, ever since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out. With collaboration with local charities such as ‘Food for All’ TAPF-UK as been serving meals to these refugees.

TAPF-UK, a registered charity in the United Kingdom, has been serving hot meals and food relief to children and the needy, in UK, since 2019. In 2020, TAPF-UK launched its first international kitchen in North London, Watford. This kitchen is a state-of-the-art facility which can cook upto 8000 meals daily to serve the children, vulnerable and elderly in Greater London.

After the conflict began in Ukraine, TAPF-UK mobilised food supplies in hundreds of tons to be transported to Poland’s border where thousands of refugees are in need of food relief. In addition to ready-to-eat meals, TAPF-UK teams have also been delivering food supplies which can cook more than 30,000 meals.

Radhika Iyer. Director – Marketing & Communities, TAPF-UK says, “The food relief service has not been funded by the Government. It is an independent charitable service by TAPF UK. Donors in the UK have helped raise funds to support our effort.”

TAPF-UK began efforts to raise funds and collect food supplies in February 2022, soon after the war commenced and have travelling from London to the Polish border, to replenish stock of food essentials with local charities on ground zero which are also preparing hot food to support those in need. On an average TAPF UK and affiliated charities are serving close to 2000 meals, a day to refugees.

The make shift kitchen is in Medkya, a village in Przemysl County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in South-east Poland (border of Ukraine). It is the seat of the municipality called Gmina Medyka, located approximately 13 kilometers east of Przemysl and 72 kms east of the regional capital Rzeszow. The constant stream of Ukrainians crossing over from Ukraine to Medyka are the beneficiaries of TAPF-UK’s food charity.

Along with the help of their affiliate partner on ground zero-Food for All, TAPF-UK has plans to serve for as long as there is need on the ground, considering the humongous hunger and displacement challenge being faced by refugees.

TAPF-UK has christened this operation as- ‘Emergency Food relief at the Ukraine border by TAPF UK’. The people behind this effort are the entire team of TAPF-UK headed by Bhawani Singh Shekhawat, CEO,TAPF UK- Europe, who says, “Akshaya Patra UK will continue to support the disadvantaged in Ukraine in multiple ways. We are well prepared to support the refugees who come to the United Kingdom. We are also continuing to engage with the community and leading support organisations in Poland and Western Ukraine to plan for food support on the ground. Our challenges are manifold ranging from funding, security and the sheer scale of work required. Hence we are focussed on building a sustainable and collaborative model with the civil society and other entities. This is a long term project and we are prepared for a long term commitment. ”

Amidst challenges like logistical concerns, increasing food prices and a weather which isn’t very suited to travel, setting up a makeshift kitchen at the border, cooking and serving meals standing in the cold, TAPF has risen to the occasion at all times wherever required, with help from generous volunteers and donors.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation has always made food relief available during emergencies such as the Nepal earthquake, Kerala floods, Uttarakhand floods, Corona Virus pandemic (in India and in the UK).

The escalating conflict in Ukraine has put thousands of children and families in danger, who have been deprived of basic human rights including the right to a plate of food each day. Close to eight million children in Ukraine are now suffering food insecurity, which TAPF aims to address. – INDIA NEWS STREAM