SHARING in World Food Day 2021’s global event of raising awareness and providing support to end world hunger are two local charity groups OneHeartBahrain and WeCareBH, who work in partnership with each other to each play their part in eradicating hunger in Bahrain.
‘We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink’ - Epicurus
Sharing food is an expression of love, as the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus already suggested over 2,000 years ago. It is a way to say, ‘let’s come together and share what is good for us and what sustains us’. Because food at its most basic level is the substance that keeps us alive, and giving it to others is an act of caring. It acknowledges the fact that we are all one human family and we should look after one another.
Whilst there are people in the world who are going hungry we still have a lot of caring to do to reduce human suffering. If we all shared a little bit of food with someone else, hunger would not exist. And, this is why OneHeartBahrain in partnership with WeCareBH make it their mission to support those people in need who for one reason or another have fallen on hard times.
The widespread effects of the pandemic are still felt within our community, and although fortunately we have witnessed a considerable drop in the numbers of ‘no-income’ cases, there are still isolated cases of individuals, families and groups left stranded. In addition to food deliveries to individuals, the charity partnership identifies labour camps where income has been suspended or delayed, and aims to serve at least one of these camps every week.
WeCareBH have contacts across the whole network of labour camps within Bahrain; they identify those in need, and liaise with the camps. Then OneHeartBahrain helps generate food donations from the public. Beneficiaries who are in critical need receive a food box which sustains an individual for two weeks and low-income workers receive fresh meals. Secondhand clothing is also added to the food distributions, as well as other items donated by sponsors such as toothbrushes and face masks.
This year the charity partnership honoured World Food Day with a food distribution to a labour camp in Sitra and, on this special day of the year to promote zero hunger, they would like to remind people that we are all in this together and that if we treat every single day as a World Food Day, and share the love of feeding others, then no one in Bahrain needs to go hungry.
To help OneHeartBahrain with their ongoing effort to provide food for those in need, either through volunteering or by donating food, you can contact them on social media @oneheartbahrain, on Whatsapp 33872346, or via email hello@oneheartbahrain.com.
Birthe van der Heijden and Sabuj Melon
Editor’s note: OneHeartBahrain was founded by social innovation strategist Birthe van der Heijden in January 2019, and promotes unity amongst people through activities of goodwill, also known as Love in Action.
WeCareBH was recently founded by marketing manager Sabuj Melon to encourage people to care and do good for others. It provides operational support to OneHeartBahrain, as well as conducts its own charitable activity.
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