New Delhi, August 23, 2023. Japan’s kitchen solutions brand, Asahi Kasei, has joined forces with non-profit organization The Akshaya Patra Foundation to tackle food wastage and classroom hunger through the 'Wrap Up Hunger With Asahi Kasei' initiative. In a bid to combat the issue of food wastage, Asahi Kasei's initiative aims to provide nutritious mid-day meals to underprivileged school children, with the goal of reducing food waste and eradicating classroom hunger.The partnership is in response to the significant amount of food waste occurring in Indian households, contributing to waste management challenges and environmental pollution. Concurrently, United Nations India reports that nearly 4 out of 10 children suffer from chronic undernutrition, with 33% facing malnourishment due to factors such as poverty and inequality.
Addressing the dual challenges of food wastage and classroom hunger, Asahi Kasei collaborates with The Akshaya Patra Foundation to launch the #WrapUpHungerWithAsahiKasei initiative. During the previous season, over 91,000 underprivileged children were provided with three meals each, thanks to the efforts of 1600 participants. Following the success of Season One, Asahi Kasei is preparing for Season Two in partnership with Akshaya Patra. Participants are encouraged to use the hashtag #WrapUpHungerWithAsahiKasei2, sharing images of food wrapped in Asahi Kasei Premium Wrap alongside the product. Each contribution results in the provision of five meals to Akshaya Patra's Mid-day Meal Programme, which supports children in public and government-aided schools.
Talking about the initiative, Mr. Luve Oberoi, Sr Marketing Manager, Asahi Kasei India, said, “Food is one of the most critical pillars for survival. However, the 2021 UNEP Food Waste Index Report states that 11% of food waste comes from households. Bearing this in mind, we aimed to create awareness about food wastage and classroom hunger via this initiative. By encouraging people to share a photo of food wrapped in the Asahi Kasei Premium Wrap - which preserves food for long and helps reduce wastage - and providing meals to underprivileged school children for every post, we are happy to do our bit and give back to the community. And we are pleased to have partnered with The Akshaya Patra Foundation for enabling this.”
Mr. Anant Arora, Chief Sustainability & Communication Officer, The Akshaya Patra Foundation mentioned, “A healthy meal is not the same luxury or a privilege for many. Moreover, most of us also fail to consider that every morsel of wasted food could potentially aid in someone’s nourishment. At Akshaya Patra, we envision eliminating classroom hunger and countering malnutrition amongst children from underserved communities. We couldn’t have been happier to partner with Asahi Kasei - who shares our vision - to introduce the Wrap Up Hunger with Asahi Kasei initiative. I am also grateful to the Central Government and State Governments for providing us this opportunity to serve children and communities and supporting and encouraging our efforts all along.”
The initiative takes a step towards addressing global hunger concerns, highlighted by the UN Hunger Report, which notes that despite sufficient food production, 811 million people still face daily hunger. Asahi Kasei's 'Wrap Up Hunger with Asahi Kasei' initiative strives to bring positive change to the lives of disadvantaged children by offering them fresh, nutritious meals.
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