Recently, a promotional video has been doing the rounds on social media sites that has caught my attention and many like me who work in Bombay (read:Mumbai). The dabbawallas of Bombay work together like a well-oiled machine to provide a door-to-door food delivery service for the innumerable workforce running this non-stop city.

This efficient system is used as a case study at Harvard and has been certified by Forbes Magazine to be a six sigma standard, which means that there is one mistake in approximately every 6 million deliveries. Quite a feat for something that runs on virtually no use of technology and relies on the city’s railway lines to get to wherever they have to go.

You can spot these Nehru cap-clad dabbawallas all over the city around early afternoon either loading trays of tiffins onto the train, or riding bicyclespacked with dabbas, filled with home-cooked goodness that need to get to the hungry workforce A.S.A.P.

Anyway, I digress. This video provides a simple, yet interesting way to ensure that food in your dabba doesn’t go to waste, and instead ends up feeding the thousands of hungry urban poor. A “share” sticker pasted on your dabba is all you have to do.

After I shared it on Facebook someone I know quickly dissected the idea and the video and explained to me why he thought it was “cute, but honestly silly for multiple reasons.”

The first argument he posed was that on a moral perspective was it right to say oh we have so much food going to waste so lets give street children what’s left after I’ve eaten what i can/need. The economic divide in India is an inescapable truth. The stark reality is that while we can ponder our options for each meal, there are some who can barely manage to scrape together one a day. So, why then is it wrong to share? Is it better that this food that can feed some goes to waste?

Secondly, he said that although its nice that people are made aware, these temporal solutions come and go and don’t really have a structural impact on our food distribution issue, and that solutions like this one just get people excited through their powerful video. He also said that on the flip side, the positive is that why should you wait for policies to be formulated and in the mean time let people starve. I agree with this thought, because although this is not a complete solution to the food problem in the country it does serve as a stop gap, because we all know that waiting around for the government to do something about it can take a while. And about the powerful video, as a student of media I truly believe that video gets the message across. With tools like animation, effects, graphics, background score, voice overs and dialogue among other things, you can wake people up and make them see because otherwise we are for the most part completely desensitized to suffering and hardship.

Lastly, he said that those who decide to share, will only do so on random days and in that case you can’t measure quantity. But I don’t think you have to be able to. You give what you give, and they get what they get. As long as it’s something, humanity wins.

Photos: Share My Dabba Facebook page

My boss (well ex-boss) is a finicky eater. At times he enjoys the simple Maharashtrian food which his wife prepares for him everyday. But more often than not, he likes to go out and try different cuisines. He normally does this to socialize with top bosses (or stick up his tongue) over a lunch or simply to try something different with his colleagues. He often tells me to finish his dabba because he doesn’t want to waste it or may be because I hardly ever say no to food (specially Maharashtrian food).

We all face the problem of plenty or sometimes we just dont eat what is given to us, instead we loom over the lunch table and are too full to finish our tiffin. How good will it be if we could not waste our food and rather give it to some one in need. Well to put it in numbers, 200,000 children go hungry everyday in the city and that extremely sad.

This strikingly number blew me away when the The Dabbawala Foundation released this new initiative and made me realize how ignorant we are. A new initiative by them has taken the city by amaze and sympathy for the million starving children in the city.

The idea – simple. All the office goers who take the help of our proud Dabbawallas need to stick a a small sticker on their tiffin boxes reading ‘Share’. The Dabbawallas then segregate these tiffins and deliver it to the million starving children across the city. In the awareness video you will see how they do it.

It is a commendable job done by them for the betterment of our society. Also, it makes us realize how imbecile we are. They took the backbone of their system (Dabawallas) to fulfil a good cause, at no cost whatsoever.

I urge every Mumbaikar to undertake this initiative and if you were reluctant or wondering which charity to support all this while, here is your chance to give back to the society. And I say, why stop it here? I think the restaurant owners should also explore something similar since the bulk of leftovers comes from them.

Must say I am proud of our internationally known Dabbawallas and this new noble initiative by them.

Thanks for reading and giving me an audience! You guys are the best!

(Never mind the fact that nobody knows what Takis are.)

10:30 AM – 5:00 PM

My day started with giving my brief on dabbawallas to the group. Each of us was assigned a topic or company back in April. We were responsible for giving a presentation in May and leading the group in a briefing and debriefing before and after our meeting with our particular person or company. I was assigned the dabbawallas, a workforce of mostly illiterate men who deliver lunches to office workers with astounding results. About 5000 dabbawallas are responsible for delivering 200,000+ lunches everyday, with only a one-hour window and bicycles to do it. Dabbawallas are never given a day off, nor do they ever take one, yet only make less than mistake for every 6 million orders. That’s less than one mistake per month for a group of illiterate men, responsible for distributing lunches on time everyday in the densely populated city of Mumbai. Oh yeah, and it’s a service that only costs the families of the office workers $5 a month. It is, undoubtedly, one of the most efficient management models in the world.

After walking the streets of Mumbai with a couple local tour guides, we saw firsthand the sorting, distributing, and delivery of lunches by the dabbawallas. It was awesome to see them work using a distribution model that big-brand American companies (such as Coca-Cola) are envious of.

Following our stop to watch the dabbawallas and eat lunch, we took a 25-minute train ride to Dharavi, the lagest slum in Asia (in population). If you think living in a community of a couple thousand is big, imagine one with over a million people – all crammed into 1.75 square kilometers of land, the equivalent to roughly 430 acres. It is, without a doubt, one of the most densely populate areas in the world.

My experience there was unlike any I had ever had before. We walked through the commercial sector first, making brief sops to watch workers melt and mold recycled plastic to sell. Dharavi is a slum by definition but its economy (which has over 10,000 different industries) is a $665 million one, well capable of providing a living, albeit an undesirable one, for most who live there. When using the word ‘slum’ it is nearly impossible to imagine it as a clean place so the lack of hygiene and overall cleanliness was not surprising. However, it was the type of dirtiness that you cannot imagine until you walk through it. The ground was mud, and when it wasn’t it looked as if it soon would be. Flies and other bugs flew around us in the dozens. Trash littered the area, even more so than we had previously seen throughout India. Each family lived side-by-side – literally – to each other, so close that it would be impossible for a step in one “house” to go unheard in the adjacent ones. And I put house in quotations because they do not live in houses – rather, they live in tiny cement boxes, rooms not big enough for the average American to fit their bathroom in. You could argue – and I would – that each family’s room was smaller than every hotel bathroom we have had on this trip. I cannot and will not be able to emphasize the severity of each family’s living conditions. Four or five people shared what we would consider a small hotel bathroom, living only inches from their neighbors, and sharing water and electricity with tens of other families. And if that doesn’t convince you that this was a place that no person should have to grow up and live in, consider this: in Dharavi, there is one – ONE– functioning toilet for every 1400 people. One.
And then there were the smells. The smells are what truly separate Dharavi from being just another unclean and poverty-stricken area of India. Every five steps, the smell would change. None of them were good smells, mind you; each had its own unique trait to it, but all were strong and filled our noses with a scent that could not be duplicated anywhere else. They were all different yet they came together to form one, one smell that will stick to my shoes and clothing like mud but may never fully come off. In short, Dharavi was a necessary and perception-altering experience, as well as a somewhat sad one.

5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Our intense day at Dharavi was immediately followed by a taxi ride that may discourage us from foreign travel in the future. Because I know you are probably tired of my writing by now, I’ll get to it: our taxi driver got lost on the way back to the hotel (he never once knew where we was going but could only smile at us when we questioned him), dropping us off in the middle of Mumbai, leaving us with no direction of getting back. During the taxi drive though, Courtney was left to question our driver alone.

Adventures of Courtney: Great. Just great. I’m pretty sure – no, I’m positive – that we are completely lost. At least we’re only lost in a random taxi, in the middle of Mumbai, the densest city in this foreign country that I’ve never been to. Oh, yes. Look at that. Not only am I lost with this taxi driver that believes smiling is the answer to any and all of my questions, my three friends in the backseat are asleep. All three. Karen, Panc, and Wally. This isn’t, like, a terrible time to sleep, I guess. I mean, we only might die – or worse, get taken. Well, sitting here in the front seat alone with my concerns in this sweaty cab is nice and all but THEY SHOULD ALL WAKE UP AND HELP ME FIND OUR WAY HOME!

After a few failed “Where is the Fariyas Hotel?” questions to nearby locals and policemen, we did the only sensible thing. We picked a direction and started walking. A block or two later, we stumbled upon an American sports bar (where only cricket played on the televisions). Our day had been a long and intense one and we were currently semi-lost and only half-awake in the middle of Mumbai. Splitting a pitcher of beer couldn’t hurt? Right? So we unwound with our Kingfisher and enjoyed some tasty French fries, subconsciously trying to forget that we may have to spend the night on the street.

However, with some liquid confidence running through our bloodstream we eventually found our way home, but not without asking policemen, hotel managers, and street vendors alike where the Fariyas Hotel was. Finally home, we decided to take the rest of the night off and separate ourselves from any chance of more adventure. We had had enough for one day.

The delivery of home-cooked lunch in what are called tiffin tins is a daily tradition in India’s bustling commercial capital, Mumbai.

Workers leaving for work early in the morning get lunch cooked by their wives delivered to their offices, thanks to so-called dabbawallas.

About 5,000 men earn their livings through this delivery system. Every day, 200,000 boxes travel through the city on bikes and trains.

Al Jazeera’s Casey Kauffman follows one such meal from kitchen to lunch table.

Incredible.

[via Zapong]

There was an outcry earlier this week when Hazare was detained by the government as he prepared to launch his hunger strike. He has now been allowed to stage his hunger strike for a limited period of time. He is campaigning for tough new rules regarding the creation of an ombudsman to oversee Indian police chiefs. Critics contend that the current bill is too weak.

Dabbawallas to show support with first ever strike

The decision by India’s ‘dabbawallas’ to go on strike is extremely significant. The ‘dabbawallas’ deliver food to thousands of office workers in the country’s financial capital Mumbai, and their strike will be noticed far more keenly by workers than Hazare’s protest. 5,000 ‘dabbawallas’ are expected to march on Friday to show their support for Anna Hazare.

Leading ‘dabbawallas’ say that they are launching the strike in order to show that they are fully behind Anna Hazare and his campaign to eradicate corruption. The ‘dabbawallas’ play an integral part in the functioning of Mumbai, and their presence will be sorely missed. Whether they can contribute to a movement that delivers actual, lasting change remains to be seen.

The zero waste lunch sets pictured above were supplied by Fairware to Seventh Generation as gifts for their broker sales force. Featuring an embroidered cotton carry bag, engraved stainless steel tiffin tin and reusable bamboo cutlery, the sets were well aligned with the company’s image and focus on sustainability.

Seventh Generation is committed to being the most trusted brand of authentic, safe, and environmentally-responsible cleaning and personal care products for a healthy home, with a mission to “inspire a more conscious and sustainable world by being an authentic force for positive change.” Jeffrey Hollender, the company’s executive chairman, co-founder and chief inspired protagonist, just co-wrote a book on a new era of corporate responsibility which is receiving great reviews. Given Seventh Generation’s reputation, we were pretty excited to work with them and it resulted in some beautiful and useful products.

Each tiffin set included the label pictured above. Printed on re-purposed Seventh Generation pocket folders, the imprint was achieved with a custom made rubber stamp designed by local artist Abby Manock.

Tiffin sets are only starting to become popular in North America but they’ve been used in India for ages. Here’s a fascinating article on the dabbawallas that deliver home cooked tiffin lunches to office workers across Mumbai daily. Each lunch is packed in a tiffin tin similar to those featured here.

Looking for a stylish zero waste gift or give-away? Check out our website or contact us for a product tailored to your company’s needs.

Summer is right around the corner.  My daughter is going away for 3 ½ weeks.  Party on down.  But not everyone is that lucky.

For those of you who will have your mmmunchkins at home attending day camps or running their surprisingly profitable lemonade stands, why not pack their lunch in style and feel good about yourself by purchasing Dabbawallas lunch boxes.  (Betcha can’t say that fast three times.)

These fun, clever boxes were inspired by the creators’ travels in India, where she became fascinated with the lunch box delivery men known as “dabbawallas.” Seriously.

All Dabbawalla bags are made by artisans who earn fair wages in safe working conditions.  Not only does Dabbawalla help support non-profit organizations and fundraise for kids in need, their designs are just too cute for words.  And isn’t that part of saving the world too? Well, it should be.

Dabbawallas are machine washable, insulated, free of lead and PVC, and have an easy to grip handle.  You can choose from a bunch of styles: Cute as a Bug, Free Range, Holy Cow, Out of This World, British Invasion, Slice of Summer, Sweetcakes, Apple of My Eye and my fave, Monkey See Monkey Do.

Go to 
http://www.dabbawallabags.com/about.html
to see styles.

Don’t Want To Cook

Personal Chef Cook Service

Especially For You!!!

Vegetarian Meal Consists Of:

1 Dal / Pulse Dish, 1 Vegetarian Dish, 2 Roti’s / Paratha’s, Rice ( Fried Rice Or Pulao Or Veg Biryani ), Chutney, Salad

Non – Vegetarian Meal Consists Of:

1 Non – Vegetarian Dish, 1 Dal / Pulse Dish, 1 Vegetarian Dish, 2 Roti’s / Paratha’s, Rice ( Fried Rice Or Pulao Or Veg Biryani ), Chutney, Salad

Good Value

Rs. 55/-* Each For Vegetarian Meal And

Rs. 75/-* Each For Non – Vegetarian Meal.

Areas Covered:

JP Nagar, Btm, Jayanagar, Kanakapura Road, Banashankari, Basavanagudi, Bannerghatta Road, Hanumanthnagar, Kumaraswamy Layout, Koramangala, Teachers Colony, Sarjapur Road, HSR Layout, Silk Board, Dairy Circle, Madiwala, Electronic City, Begur, Bommanahalli, Bommasandra Industrial Area,Whitefeild

Lunch Timings: 12 – 2pm

Dinner Timings: 4 – 10pm

Food Dishes Are Rotated Every 10 – 15 Days Which Gives Our Customers A Chance To Taste Different Varieties. Food Is Cooked Fresh Daily And Supplied In Safe Microwavable Containers.

Para que eso sea posible en esa gigantesca urbe de 25 millones de habitantes, los habitantes de Bombay dependen de una operación que está muy organizada. Se logra entregar decenas de miles de almuerzos en todos los lugares de la ciudad casi con la precisión de un reloj.

Los repartidores son los llamados dabbawallas (que se podría traducir como portador de comida) o tiffins (el almuerzo en sí). Forman una comunidad de apróximadamente 5.000 personas que cada día se mueven como “pez en el agua” en la complicada ciudad de Bombay. Reparten cerca de 200.000 almuerzos diarios.

La precisión y eficiencia de los dabbawallas ha sido comparada con las mejores empresas de transporte urgente, donde paquetes identificados por marcadores exclusivos en unos recipientes de acero son transportados (a pie, en bicicleta, en tren) a sus destinos por medio de un compleja red de personas.

El servicio es simple y complejo a la vez. Se recogen los pequeños contenedores en las casas de los clientes o en las de cocineros por encargo, y entregan luego las comidas en una estación de ferrocarriles local (la red depende mucho del buen funcionamiento del tren ya que se trata del principal medio de locomoción). Las cajas son clasificadas manualmente para ser entregadas en diferentes estaciones en el centro de la ciudad y luego vuelven a ser clasificadas y llevadas a sus destinaciones. Después del almuerzo, el servicio se invierte, y el pequeño contenedor, ahora vacío, vuelve a casa.

El servicio cuesta menualmente unas 200 rupias (aprox 5€). No se trata de un servicio barato aunque es asumible.

La explicación de la utilización de este servicio radicaría en el valor de comer sano y casero en una megaurbe que se lleva haciendo desde hace más de un siglo.

Los Dabbawallas tienen una estructura que funciona a la perfección y sin ninguna norma ISO, ni funciones escritas. Nunca han estado en huelga, realizan un transporte sostenible, refuerzan la alimentación sana (sería la envidia todo “Gustino“, el nuevo proyecto de comida sana y equilibrada) y su eficiencia radica, según ellos mismos, en la ayuda mútua y la profesionalidad. Tienen incluso una fundación de ayuda para sus trabajadores en caso de accidente o problema familiar que les permite recibir ayudas con gran rapidez. Su eficiente estructura ha sido incluso objeto de estudio para mejorar la estructura directiva y de gestión empresarial de nuestras empresas. Incluso algunos los políticos deberían tomar nota…

Vía: Canal 33