500 Days of Feeding the Poor

Meet Mohammed Sujathullah, the 24-year old Pharma D student from Sultan ul Uloom College of Pharmacy who has just set a new example by feeding hundreds of deserving people every day. For 500 days. A philanthropist by chance, Sujath does not hail from a very affluent family. His father retired as a government teacher a few years ago and mother is a homemaker, but the family had showed tremendous support and continues to encourage.

Sujath vowed to feed 10 deserving people if he cleared his B. Pharmacy exams, and when the time came to  distribute these food packets, the sheer number of people who had gathered to benefit from only 10 packets that he had at the time instilled a ‘sense of giving’. He went back to the same place to feed more people, with savings from his pocket money, and even more people leapt forward. Soon, with the help of friends and family, who were ready to share one day’s earning for this ‘noble cause’, Sujathullah was able to help more people get breakfast – Upma, Chutney and Achaar. “Just 3500 rupees a day can provide one meal to so many people”, he exclaims.

Three years on, outside the Niloufer Hospital, nearly 700 people line up in queue everyday and nearly 250 to 300 near Government Hospital at Koti where he goes to feed before heading to college. Sujath is now pursuing Pharma D, and aspires to start the Breakfast distribution programme at Osmania Hospital.

“I chose these places because these are frequented by poor, and most deserving people of all ages from children to adults and senior citizens”, he adds. Impressed by his philanthropic efforts, Secretary of Sultan ul Uloom Education Society Mr. Zafar Javeed visited the breakfast distribution centre and felicitated him on 500^th day of breakfast distribution while Principal of Sultan ul Uloom College of Pharmacy Prof. Anupama Koneru said “his social activities will serve as inspiration to more students.”

Sujathullah has since registered an NGO named Humanity First Foundation to continue feeding these people, and has recently started training women in tailoring skills. His ‘Project Transformation’ is transforming lives of deserted and helpless aged individuals by providing them free haircuts, a good set of clothes to replace their rags, and a berth in an old age home after carrying out due legal procedures.

He humbly mentions that his breakfast programme has inspired a similar lunch programme taken up by students in Sangareddy. “Some young professional from corporate companies have approached seeking advice on undertaking similar feeding programs”, he says.

“There is nothing more satisfying that the feeling of having something in your capacity to help others and even more to be able to deliver it”, he concludes.