This Ramadan, group wants food in empty stomachs, not waste bins

 

The What a Waste (WaW) organisation is collaborating with the Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ) to ensure that there is no food wastage at Ramadan bazaars.

Themed “Make this a Ramadan without wastage”, Waw has requested the traders to sign up as partners using this link.

In a Facebook post, WaW said after becoming a partner, the traders would be required to upload photographs of food items that were unsold on its website.

Following this, the leftover food has to be placed at the WaW tent, whose team would then distribute it to those in need.

According to WaW’s website, its mission started with the aspiration to streamline the food waste cycle in Malaysia.

“The motivation grows as we receive more support from like-minded people who have the heart to save food rather than seeing the food being thrown away.

“This goes in tandem with seeing the smiles from underprivileged families that receive sponsored food,” it said.

WaW said it is currently serving more than 10,000 families in Subang Jaya and other areas, including rural communities,

“Food that we collect ranges from dry food such as cereal, milk powder, biscuits and rice to perishable food such as vegetables, meat and ready-to-eat food.

“We also collect leftover food from events and catering,” it added.

Last year, it was reported that Ramadan bazaar traders in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya wasted 47,610kg of food per day, an amount that could feed 39,675 people.

Whereas in Selangor, food wastage had increased 45 percent last year compared to the previous year.

Domestic waste collection and public cleansing agency KDEB Waste Management (KDEBWM) said that 73.67 tonnes of food waste were generated each day during the Ramadan month covering seven municipalities, compared to 50.78 tonnes during the same period last year. - Mkini