Thousands of people all over Kuwait are suffering the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. With reduced salaries, jobs lost, and airports closed, both individuals and families are stuck at a dead-end without food or necessities. During this time, a positive ray of light is the hundreds of good-willed individuals and associations coming out to help those in need.
One such organization is Bil 3afia (Enjoy your meal). Made up of approximately 35 Kuwaiti citizens and expats, the group has been distributing food kits to those in need in areas like Jleeb Al Shyoukh and Mahboula. Till date, the group has given out close to 8,500 kits to help both individuals and families.
The logistics of this is immense. From sourcing donations, collecting the items, preparing kits and then distribution. The kits are prepared with donations from generous food suppliers as well as community members. The group members do the backbreaking work of preparing the bags themselves. The bags are then transported to the respective areas where the pre-identified beneficiaries reside. Volunteers in the lock down areas then distribute the kits to the beneficiaries directly. A long and arduous process but truly worth the effort.
The group was founded by Manmeet Sethi, an Indian expat, following a conversation with her friend Sharina Jagtiani, who had made a few food bags for families in need. She found out that there were many such families in Jleeb. Manmeet and her husband followed up to find out there were 10 buildings in one area, each housing 200 people. Manmeet said “That became our target, to help those 2,000 people. I put a message together and sent it out in our friend circles. The response was great – so many came forward to help in various ways. And that it where it all started.”
In the first round, Bil 3afia distributed 2,400 bags with enough money left over for a second round. In the first round Manmeet’s parents, father in law, kids, maids and some friends helped pack and make the bags. Other people came forward to volunteer and help with packing and distribution.
They then found volunteers in the lockdown areas and they helped distribute the bags to the identified individuals and families. In Jleeb, with approval from the police, they transferred bags to these volunteers over the fence. For Mahboula, they have a family who puts a list of people in need together and helps distributing bags. Some volunteers with passes also helped carry the bags inside the area and distribute.
Soon word got around and they started getting calls from people in different areas where they started distributing additional bags – Farwaniya, Hawally, Salmiya, Salwa, Jahra, etc. “It became a full- fledged operation. We managed calls, logistics of the products, scheduling of deliveries as well as special requests.” explained Manmeet.
When they started getting a large number of request for kids, they also bought baby milk, pampers, baby food. Many people donated new toys which they also distributed to many families with kids.
“The kids faces would light up because of the toys so we continued giving out toys with our bags.” Manmeet added.
Before Ramadan, they also distributed hundreds of cooked meals.
As news of their work spread more donors also came forward. Manmeet explained “I got a call from a farm who wanted to donate vegetables. So we gave tons of vegetables too. People really appreciated it.”
The group also helped the case of a group of Indian workers that were sleeping on the streets in Farwaniya because they could not get into the amnesty program. Working with other organizations, they approached government entities and were finally successful to get the workers into shelters and have their papers processed.
Manmeet highlighted “We have seen that most government entities are overwhelmed and are struggling to reach people. That’s where smaller groups like ours fill in the gaps and are able to support the government indirectly.”
What is important to note is that Manmeet and the Bil 3afia group does not believe in working in a silo. They have happily lent support to other groups such as the Red Crescent, Kerala Union, Philippines Union, and other charitable groups that do not have enough funds or infrastructure to help but have lists of genuine people in need.
So why does Manmeet and her group who can very well sit at home and keep themselves safe go out of their way to help? “Well we have always been taught to step up in times of need and thats what we are doing.” says Manmeet.
Well said and truly well done Manmeet. Social and moral responsibility is the essence of humanity and it’s great to see people like Manmeet keeping it alive!
– By Nita Bhatkar Chogle
Special to The Times
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