Choithrams donates Dh1.2m to World Food Programme

Dubai - Last year, Choithrams joined WFP to fight hunger and malnutrition in the Middle East and West Africa.

Children and war-affected Syrian families are on the verge of benefitting from a Dh1.2 million donation that will afford them food for some months. Pitching in to fight world hunger, Choithrams, the supermarket chain, on January 10 donated Dh1,272,649/- to the United Nations World Food Programme at a ceremony in its Marina store in Dubai.
Last year, Choithrams joined WFP to fight hunger and malnutrition in the Middle East and West Africa.
Besides in the Middle East, some of the good that will emerge from that money: 2100 children in the region of Atacora in Benin (West Africa) will eat locally-made school meals everyday for an entire year. These meals are said to work as a powerful incentives for poor parents to send their daughters and sons to school.
The donated amount will fund 3,321 month-long food vouchers to families in need, and 7,30,26,200 school meals to children in the Middle East and West Africa.  
Thanking staff & customers
Choithrams involved its staff and customers in the 'Zero Hunger' campaign in its supermarkets across Dubai between September and December 2015.
Customers were invited to add a donation to their bill at checkout to support WFP's School Meals Programme in the Middle East.
They had a chance to donate 1, 5, 20 or 200 dirhams. Each dirham donated to WFP is sufficient to provide a nutritious meal to a schoolchild in need. In only four months, Choithrams customers donated enough to provide 354,362 nutritious meals to schoolchildren in need in the Middle East.
In a touching acknowledgement, Choithrams thanked all those associated with the campaign, including its salespeople and especially, Sheena Bacho Francisco, for helping to raise the second highest funds to support the WFP School Meal programme.
Among its customers, Rajeev Mahajan and his wife Poornima Mahajan were thanked for their generous, consistent donations over the 4-month period. Rajeev, a resident of Greens, told Khaleej Times, in all humility, that once a twice a week when he would go to the Choithrams store near their place, he would contribute a small amount. Everyone's "small amounts" evidently added up.
The supermarket chain first contributed Dh918,287 and raised Dh3,54,362 from customers across all its supermarkets in Dubai from September to December 2015.
Chairman-Choithrams LT Pagarani said, "Hunger is everyone's business because it robs the potential of vulnerable children and communities. We are proud to partner with the WFP and encourage everyone to join us in the fight against malnutrition and help achieve a world with zero hunger".
Abdallah Al-Wardat, Director-WFP Office, UAE, stated, "We have all gathered here today because we share a belief: that access to food is vital to full futures and that a world with zero hunger is indeed possible. A world where all children, women and men get the food they need to fulfill their potential and live happily and peacefully."
As the largest humanitarian organisation fighting hunger worldwide, WFP assists 80 million people in around 75 countries every year.
Thanks to Choithrams, the 10 schools supported by this WFP project will be also be equipped with gardens and agricultural tools, water abduction will be improved wherever needed and children will be taught about hand washing and nutrition.  
nivriti@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE