Surya Prakash Vinjamuri

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Story from the MyFoodStory website: 

Andrius & team,

I am still reading your mail.

Am seeing how & at what point I should start sharing my work.

I just like to give Overview -

Our work started in 1999 with a belief that -

If you have knowledge on food & nutrition then health automatically gets enhanced -

For this we had organized an exhibition on Food & Hygiene Oct,1999, where in 8000 children were individually examined to understand nutritional status - cutting across the section we saw sheer absence of knowledge on food & marked nutritional deficiencies in all strata of the representation.

Immediately after this on November 4th 1999 we were asked to provide health services for the super Cyclone of Orissa - here the magnitude of the damage was such that - people had to be rehabilitated by provision of food & shelter along with rehabilitative packages.

The question raised in the mind after above experience ,was if this is fact of life, where in, a otherwise elective situation where marked absence of understanding on food exists, coupled with obvious evidence of undernourishment along with micro nutrition deficiencies ,if it exists on one side - then other side of the coin we have situation of responding to demands of emergencies.

Since then we are constantly working towards enhancing knowledge on food & nutrition in the communities we represent.

This is our seventh year of contribution, I should say this -

We deteriorated much further, what it was since we started -

Now I see market is ruling the thought process, unfortunately food is understood as a commodity rather than a life savior, enhancer, protector & promoter.

I see as long as food is understood as a commodity, we will see deterioration of several values we have imbibed though various sources.

Now as you already know us through the letter of Pam, we are going ahead protecting farmer to add value to his produce & see there is change in consumption pattern that would enhance overall health status thus life of the society, I represent.

Andrius & friends, so many learning situations & initiatives mark our journey.

So, guide me to share appropriately, to build healthier & happy nations & the world.

- surya prakash vinjamuri

In continuation of my earlier post - please find attached photographs, which show sharing food.

We feel if we have to influence consumption patterns to protect farmer & add value to the produce, we need to have methods to have dialog with the consumer.

Here we use Banana Health Point as source for dialogs on - Food, Health & Life.

The concept goes with the slogan - Each One, Eat One, Share One.

Whenever one comes to purchase Banana (Here people buy in dozens) we ask her/him to share one- i.e., you have to donate one, which will be shared with one who cannot afford to buy.

Then once they do donate/buy/share - we share information on food,health & life.

Third photograph shows we sharing food with aged, here we like to say food for aged is something neglected - they need to be taken care much more carefully than any other age group - they are sensitive how food is served,when it is served & who serves them with what care.

It's wonderful opportunity to share food with aged, as they are our history & guide for future.

I will keep posting continuously on food, I like to submit my work is done with conviction that food heals,many wounds.

We like to share beauty of food - life of individual/s.

Thank you.

Editors: SuryaPrakashVinjamuri,AndriusKulikauskas

From the MyFoodStory website, storyteller SuryaPrakashVinjamuri

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