Long-Term Change Inspired in Saharanpur, India by Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE)’s Ramadan Food Basket Project

"Giving is not just about donating. It is about making a difference."

- Kathy Calvin, Former President, CEO of the UN Foundation.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget the impact our donations make; our contributions exist as mere automatic bank transfers or online card payments. It’s easy to feel removed from what these donations materialize into on the ground. However, Calvin’s powerful statement reminds us of the transformational nature that charity and giving hold. While it’s simple to quantify the donation itself, the extent and impact of the difference take on a life of its own.

The donors and staff at Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) have made a substantial difference in the lives of countless individuals all over the world. LIFE’s Ramadan food basket project is one example of the impactful change that your donations have made to a vulnerable community in India.

As of 2023, approximately 333.5 million people in India are considered food insecure. This lack of access to sufficient and nutritious food has had a profound impact on the most vulnerable within society: its children. Because of food insecurity, about 37.4 million children in India under five years old suffer from stunted growth. This chronic undernutrition has severely affected growth in the most formative years, as India accounts for about one-third of the world’s malnourished children.

With stunting, wasting, and anemia especially prevalent among those born to the poorest households, LIFE’s food baskets distributed in India’s rural town of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, provided essential direct relief for its residents. Extreme poverty has become a common concern for those in the region, as its economy heavily depends on stone mining and construction material. Unfortunately, the mines were shut down due to environmental concerns, which led to widespread unemployment. As a result, over six in ten people in the Uttar Pradesh area struggle with food insecurity - almost double the national average.

To combat the poverty and food insecurity faced by residents, LIFE distributed 150 Ramadan food baskets to 150 of the most vulnerable families in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. The project, which ran from February 6 to February 28, 2025, successfully provided food assistance to approximately 608 individuals, consisting of 170 men, 195 women, and 243 children. Orphans, widows, single mothers, the unemployed, and the elderly were prioritized, ensuring proper nutrition for those most in need. The food charity included wheat flour, rice, sugar, black chickpeas, pulses, salt, vegetable oil, tea leaves, vermicelli, gram flour, turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, semolina, and dates.

The initiative successfully reduced food insecurity, relieved stress, and improved the well-being of its beneficiaries. Women and children, being the most affected groups, especially benefited from this project. One recipient, a 38-year-old single mother of 10, shares: “If this food had not arrived during Ramadan, I don’t know how we would have survived. My children were waking up to empty plates. Now, at least for a few weeks, I can feed them with dignity.”

However, it was the difference and change in the community that was especially powerful. Inspired by LIFE’s initiative, many local volunteers committed to continuing small-scale fundraising efforts for future needs, with some shopkeepers offering discounts and agreeing to provide food on credit during emergencies. Local donors and volunteers also suggested creating a community-based food relief fund for future crises, and discussions on potential skill development programs were held to support the unemployed.

Your giving was much more than a simple donation - it was a vehicle for much-needed change. The donations you made had a powerful ripple effect on this community, instilling in them the ability to create long-term community-led solutions and invest in a better future for all in Saharanpur, India.