SIBC in collaboration with Pillai College of Education & Research, Chembur kick started the project ‘Fistful of Grain’ on the 14th October, 2015. Fistful of Grain aimed at supporting child life by providing for adequate nourishment. Lentils like Moog Dal, which is a high source of protein, were collected under this project along with rice.

The beneficiaries identified were eight children who are cancer patients, along with their parents, who are housed with the NGO ‘Access Life’. The NGO looks after the treatment of cancer affected children, so the grains collected have been able to provide for their meals for over a week.

The idea was of getting grains collected by students from the college by keeping a fistful of grain each day aside for more than over a week however, as the NGO looks after the treatment of the cancer affected kids, they wanted to be sure of the quality of the grains they would receive as it has to be chosen carefully. So they introduced SIBC to their grocery store which is tied up with them for provision of grains etc., and so SIBC’s Fistful of Grain initiative took a new shape where the grains were brought in bulk from that grocery store and the students and teachers along with Soroptimist members made monetary contributions towards the grains purchased. To have been able to feed some little lives, the college students were deeply moved by this project. It instilled the value of food and humanity among them and they look forward to continue this act in their own ways.

They were thus oriented about the various projects conducted under the Soroptimist banner by the NASI Extension Officer, Dr. Sunita Wadikar, who also urged them to join hands and promote Soroptimism. Followed by her talk, NASI President Elect, Dr. Lata Krishnan, SIBC President Dr. Reni Francis, SIBC PAC, Ms. Namrata Saxena and SIBC Club Extension Officer Ms. Swasti Dhar, also spoke with the students on the objectives of SOROPTIMISM and highlighted the different projects that are undertaken for girls and women’s welfare. They also asked students to join hand in this movement of girls and women development and welfare by joining SIBC. The response has been overwhelming.

Thus ‘Fistful of grain’ has been able to provide for two fold objectives for SIBC, of providing nourishment to the underprivileged and of getting the youth attention towards Soroptimism.