Tag Archives: Plumpy’nut
2nd Annual “Hoops for Hunger” Basketball Tournament: Success!
Thaakat’s 2nd Annual Basketball Tournament this weekend was a great success! It could not have been possible without the support of some generous sponsors, incredible volunteers, and dedicated teams and fans!
The two day event, which took place at the Oak Brook Park District in Oak Brook, Il, brought together 16 teams competing to win all while playing for a good cause. Several spectators came to watch the event and a few lucky ones walked away with some pretty sweet raffle prizes! A bags tournament and free throw contest for the girls and boys also brought on a few more lucky winners who also walked away with very cool prizes. But perhaps the most exciting aspect of the event was when our very own Secretary of State Mr. Jesse White strolled in with his Tumblers for an eye-catching performance of the most thrilling acrobatics we’ve ever seen! The Jesse White Tumblers put on one spectacular show during half-time of final game day, leaving all of us pretty amazed.
Congratulations to “Team Ruckus” on a staggering win this weekend and to the “DFL Boyz” who came in a very close 2nd place! Brownhub was generous enough to award the grand prize to each player on the winning team with a certificate for a 3 day, 2 nights stay at a 3-4 star hotel in a US city of their choice! Thank you Brownhub for the amazing prize for our winners!
All proceeds from the event benefited Thaakat’s Plumpy’nut campaign; providing malnourished children suffering from the famine in Africa with a miracle packaged paste called Plumpy’nut, eaten straight from the wrapper and proven to effectively treat and cure acute malnutrition. This little life saving treat will be saving thousands of children!
Thank you to all who were a part of making this an unforgettable event! We can’t wait to see you again (along with some of you new faces) next year!
I Am Given Now, A Chance To Save Them
As of about an hour ago, we received a note from Edesia (the wonderful team which manufactures and provides Plumpy’nut) that we had helped them make the final donation to meet their goals for 11.11.11. They had reached their goal of $111,000 to help thousands of children suffering from Acute Malnutrition.
Joining hands with Thaakat teams across the country, we were able to raise approximately $8,000 with all of your help and we could not be more appreciative. You are helping to reverse the disastrous effects of acute malnutrition and are helping mothers to have their children back.
Though the day of 11.11.11 has come to an end, don’t let this be the end of our fight against famine. These children continue to suffer every day, let us think of them and continue to support them throughout the year.
11-11-11 is TODAY.
THAAKAT board members have taken to their notepads, ipads and papers to express their feelings on our fight against hunger in East Africa. Hear their rage against hunger, hear their heartbreak and help us make our 11.11.11 a successful day for those in need.
The Somali Next Door
-based on a real-life meeting with a refugee in Chicago
By: Ammara Bokhari / Global Project Manager / Thaakat Foundation
I came here to seek refuge,
Escaping shivering cries of our neighbors
The thundering bullets of militiamen
Piercing through shattered ruins
My country amidst a civil war.
Fearing the undermine of starvation
Poor wilted bodies perishing
Infinitely more that simply await
No food, no water, no will… to live
My nation crushed by famine.
Praying to see my wife and children
If not here, then in heaven God-willing
Hope is but a lighted reflection
A burnish of glimmer fading in an instant
My heart seeps heavy with pain.
Promising myself to help the impoverished
Their starving sorrows echoing through my soul
Billowing number of deaths gone raging
I am given now, a chance to save them
My yearning to alleviate the pain.
Making a difference with Thaakat
At last, a simple call for relief
Eleven dollars helping eleven children
Coming together, uniting to save millions
My dreams being captivated through strength.
11.11.11
Make a Difference.
Will You Cure Eleven Empty Stomachs?
11-11-11 is TODAY.
THAAKAT board members have taken to their notepads, ipads and papers to express their feelings on our fight against hunger in East Africa. Hear their rage against hunger, hear their heartbreak and help us make our 11.11.11 a successful day for those in need.
11.11.11
By: Puja Patel / Diversity Council Chair / Thaakat Foundation
Eleven empty stomachs
Eleven aching hearts
Your eleven dollars,
Can build a brand new start.
Give to keep them going
If only for a day
But something they can count on,
Eleven empty stomachs
Eleven aching hearts
Your eleven dollars,
Can help build a brand new start.
Give to keep Them going
If only for a day
But something they can count on,
That help is on the way.
Remember the elevens
Do what you have to do
Eleven hungry children full for once
Just because of you.
Help A Child’s Wish Come True This 11.11.11
11-11-11 is TODAY.
THAAKAT board members have taken to their notepads, ipads and papers to express their feelings on our fight against hunger in East Africa. Hear their rage, hear their heartbreak and help us make our 11.11.11 a successful day for those in need.
Will You Take a Break To Feed?
By: Omar Salim / Community Outreach Director/ Thaakat Foundation
Earlier today a friend of mine reminded me to take a break from my day and eat. How silly is that? I’ve become so caught up in balancing a full courseload, making strides at my internship, and having time for family that I’ve lost sight of something so simple. This is by no means a testimonial on how busy life has become but rather just an expose how privileged I am. Hunger to me amounts to coming home from night class hearing my stomach growl, realizing I haven’t taken the time out to eat all day. It was a scary realization that there are millions of people around the world DREAMING of the opportunity that I have- not the attainment of education, work experience, or even family life, but being so privileged that skipping a meal is normal by luxury rather than necessity.
One of my many night classes happens to be downtown in Chicago right off of Michigan Avenue. After leaving my class for the evening, I watched a homeless man attempt to have a conversation with a passerby. The passerby completely ignored the man and went about her business as if nothing had happened. As I headed that direction up Chicago Avenue the homeless man turned to me and said, “Would you believe I’m a college graduate?” After a quick conversation with him that lasted no more than a minute I could immediately tell that he appreciated simply being acknowledged as a person. So often we get caught up in our own assumptions about the individuals around us that we forget that at the end of day we’re all just human.
We’re all in need of support every now and then- whether that is monetary, a friendly conversation, or even something as simple as a smile. Now please don’t misunderstand, I’m not advocating by any means for you to go out and speak to strangers. All I am asking is for you to take a step back and imagine what someone else is going through. We truly never know what sort of hardship or situation someone might be in and our assumptions can be drastically wrong.
I made it home that night to my apartment and a warm meal but left with one huge regret- I wish I had bought that man a meal. He opened my eyes in ways media coverage on the devastation of the East Africa Famine hadn’t on global hunger. Hunger exists all over the world, regardless of whether we choose to accept it. It exists in our own neighborhoods, own cities, own homelands.
Thaakat Foundation has established several hunger relief programs- currently our 11/11/11 campaign. The project is simple- donate $11, and get 11 other individuals to do the same. The funds will be used directly in areas most impacted by the famine through the distribution of Plumpy’Nut- a radical invention to cure malnourishment.
Donate Here
Heckle the Heck Out of Hunger
As 11-11-11 nears, THAAKAT board members have taken to their notepads, ipads and papers to express their feelings on our fight against hunger in East Africa.
Hear their rage, hear their heartbreak- here.
Peanut Brittle
By: Denish Ghayal / Creative Director / Thaakat Foundation
All over the world I see hungry kids’ faces
Malnourished bodies fading
Until they’ve been erased
It’s time to reverse this process
Before it’s too late
We can do this with Plumpy’nut
A peanut based paste
Thaakat Foundation has a vision
To treat severe malnutrition
Join the cause to raise money
By 11-11-11
It takes no more than 11 dollars
From 11 of your friends
To heckle the heck out of hunger
And bring it closer to an end
Other ways to participate
Is to help raise awareness
Everyday kids die
Yet hunger denies its fairness
In a world where hunger reigns
Thaakat abstains
We can do it together
But we can’t wait much longer
Let’s feed these kids some Plumpy’nut
And watch them grow stronger
Thaakat Shares Their Hunger To Feed
As 11-11-11 nears, THAAKAT board members have taken to their notepads, ipads and papers to express their feelings on our fight against hunger in East Africa.
Hear their rage, hear their heartbreak- here.
How Hungry Are You?
By: Mahreen Younus / Treasurer / Thaakat Foundation
Are you asking me? If so, I’m pretty darn hungry. In fact anyone who knows me well will probably tell you that I tend to eat all day everyday. Ice cream, pizza, cheese and more cheese…you name it and ill have it! Its easy to not think twice about everything we’ve got right in front of us…especially food.
I encourage each of you to think about this. Yes, we are all fortunate to walk up to our refrigerators and eat whatever we want but what would you do if one day it just wasn’t there? Or you didn’t have the disposable income to go out to grab some good ole’ fast food or better yet a fancy sit down meal?
You’d be hungry.
Kinda stinks to be hungry doesn’t it? People get cranky, can’t think straight and it’s just all around not fun. I know – this is probably the least of your worries right now but for the people of East Africa – this is their biggest worry and its not going away anytime soon.
Will you do something about it? As an individual you will make a difference – as a group you’ll have an impact. An impact that can last longer than you think – an impact that will indeed, go a very long way. Think about it will ya? And while you’re at it, check those pockets, dig between your couches, grab that dollar you found on the ground and join us.
Join us in turning all of our small differences into a larger impact. Feed those who cannot feed themselves. 11 bucks for 11.11.11!! It’s right around the corner 
You don’t want to be hungry do you? Neither do they.
Help us help them!
11 Facts About Global Poverty
Can you imagine your dream in life to be that you’d like to live through today..tomorrow? In the last several months since we’ve heard news of the famine in East Africa, the sweltering deserts have become home to one of the largest graveyards in the world.
This news is sad and for those who live this reality– it is unbearable.
Whether it is here at Thaakat Foundation or with another charitable organization that is close to you–Help us to Put a Fork in Famine.
11 Facts About Global Poverty, Courtesy of DoSomething.org
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Nearly half the world – over three billion people – live on less than $2.50 a day.
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According to UNICEF, 26,500-30,000 children die each day due to poverty – that’s 18 children dying every minute, a child every three seconds.
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About 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation.
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For the 1.9 billion children from the developing world: 640 million are without adequate shelter, 400 million do not have access to safe water, 270 million do not have access to health services.
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About 2.2 million children die each year because they are not immunized.
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About 1.6 billion people – a quarter of humanity – live without electricity.
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Over nine million people, of which five million are children, die worldwide each year because of hunger and malnutrition.
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Over 11 million children die each year from preventable causes like malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia.
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About 20% of the population in the developed nations consume 86% of the world’s goods.
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The poorest 40% of the world’s population accounts for 5% of the global income. The richest 20% accounts for 75% of world income.
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Around 27-28% of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted
