This Hero Is Fighting Hunger By Feeding Daily-Wage Labourers

“Every day, about 1,000 labourers and migrant workers gather at a labour chowk hoping to be picked for work. But most are left behind. They wait and wait, hoping someone will come to hire them. With no money on them, they just make do with chai and biscuits. When it’s night, they go to sleep hungry. The next day, they gather at the chowk again. It’s a heartbreaking sight. Dihadi Kitchen is working to change their fate…” - Somnath Kashyap, Founder, Dihadi Kitchen 

It all began when he realized some couldn’t afford even one meal a day

Having seen his father, an auto driver, struggle to educate them, Somnath decided to teach slum children, along with his friends, when he was in college. But when he started teaching them, he saw that they were deprived of something far more important. They didn’t have food. 

“One day, my friend, who was a caterer, called me saying there was leftover food. We distributed the food to these children. They were delighted! I began to distribute leftover food from weddings, parties, and large gatherings to those who couldn’t afford even one meal a day. More caterers joined the cause, and the mission became larger.”  - Somnath.

When the drive reached daily-wage labourers, Dihadi Kitchen was born

The news of the food drive soon reached daily-wage labourers. They queued up for food, and Somnath was brought face-to-face with the struggles of daily-wage labourers who didn’t find jobs. The drive became so popular with them that Somnath founded “Dihadi Kitchen”, named after them, in 2017.

“I had found my purpose. I hired help and we began cooking fresh, hygienic meals in our kitchen for as many Mazdoor Bhais as we could. 250-400 labourers gathered outside the kitchen every single day. For me, it was a warm meal. For them, it became a symbol of hope; their means of survival. They no longer went to bed hungry…” Somnath smiles

But budget constraints made it difficult to keep the kitchen running

After a while, he couldn’t afford to pay salaries to the workers who helped him in the kitchen. The cost of groceries increased, and he could no longer afford to prepare meals. He began to outsource.

“I rely on my caterer friend who makes meal kits containing Pooris and sabzi. Each kit costs 25 rupees, and I feed 250-400 daily-wagers every day. Now, I am starting to wonder if I can even continue to distribute these food kits…” - Somnath

Feeding 3,000+ workers/week costs over 75,000 rupees, and Somnath is unable to afford it

While Dihadi Kitchen has kind patrons who sponsor one day’s worth of meal kits every month, it isn’t enough to sustain Somnath’s mission. He needs support to afford more meal kits and eventually reopen his kitchen so he can reach more labourers.

“There are 50 labour chowks in Lucknow. I want to reach them all someday. But for now, the goal is not to give up on those I am already feeding. The cost of feeding them is becoming too much for me to bear. With your help, I will be able to continue…” - Somnath

About the initiative: Founded in Lucknow by content writer Somnath Kashyap, the Dihadi Kitchen is a charitable initiative providing free, hygienic meals to daily-wage laborers and the underprivileged. Starting with leftover food in 2017, the organization now prepares and distributes thousands of fresh, nutritious meals weekly.