A mission born out of compassion to serve the needy

Khushroo Poacha, who is employed with the Indian Railways could have led a comfortable life with his wife and daughter, but he chose to keep himself busy all the while so that thousands of hungry and poor people can partake a good meal. His mission started a few years ago when his mother was undergoing treatment for cancer in a hospital in Nagpur. As he stepped out of the hospital to have tea, he noticed a woman making chapattis on a makeshift brick kiln to feed herself and her family. They were relatives of a patient who was admitted to the hospital. They were having the chapattis without any accompaniment and somehow filling their stomach to pacify their hunger. Poacha’s heart went out to those poor people and he explained their plight to his mother. His mother suggested that if their situation is affecting him so much, then he should do something for them. Poacha called up his friend Amit, who came to the hospital with 25 packets of food that he had got packed from a restaurant. He continued this service every weekend. Poacha felt that if food is cooked at home, then with the money saved, more people could be fed. That is how Seva Kitchen was born. His good work inspired many people who joined him in this mission. With the help of WhatsApp groups, Poacha coordinated between hospitals and volunteers to make food available to the relatives of patients. Now, this mission is not limited only to the hungry people at the hospital but also to the needy on the streets. Three years since its inception, the initiative has spread to seven cities – Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and New Delhi. All the members of this mission follow certain rules that Poacha has laid down. 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. Poacha has also started Neki Ka Pitara at a few hospitals in Hyderabad, Nagpur and Thane. Pitara means box which, here, refers to the Fridge of Kindness that cater to the poor patients and their relatives at Hospitals. Members or anyone who wishes to contribute can fill up the fridge with Apples, Bananas, Grapes, Sofit , Amul Kool, Amul Lassi , Biscuits , Rajgira Chikki , small butter cubes, Buns. New members are included in the WhatsApp group and they are updated about the contents of the fridge so that as the stocks in the fridge get depleted, members can replenish it. Today, the Seva initiative provides 2,500 meals every week, touching as many lives. Poacha believes that one doesn’t need a lot of money to do good work, all one needs is a passion to serve.