Food waste is, according to FBA, a serious global issue with significant disparities: on one hand, more than 35% of our food is wasted, while on the other hand, we live in a world where 1 in 4 children suffers from malnutrition, and 1 in 9 people goes to bed hungry. The goal of this project is to reduce starvation and combat food waste, specifically in Albania.
What does the GZB do to improve the situation?
SamSam supports the “Food Bank Albania” project that the GZB started 5 years ago to address the issues of hunger and food waste in Albania. The project collaborates with schools, businesses, the government, NGOs, and local supermarkets. The following activities are implemented to achieve the goals:
- Winter project (families receive a food package for 4 months);
- Lessons in schools about the importance of healthy nutrition;
- Donating seeds for crop cultivation;
- Daily bread for Roma children;
- The Fresh Food project;
- Organizing food drives (collecting food from supermarkets, schools, government agencies, companies for food banks);
- Assisting several soup kitchens with food. Associated with this is a focus on the environment by reducing food waste and ensuring that food is not destroyed.
What is the project’s goal?
The main objectives of FBA are poverty alleviation and reducing food surplus. By distributing food surplus to the most needy members of society, both problems are addressed simultaneously. The food surpluses are first donated to Food Bank Albania. FBA volunteers collect thousands of kilograms of surplus vegetables and fruits each year and distribute them through soup kitchens and schools to the most vulnerable; mainly children, homeless individuals, the elderly, and disabled individuals. These actions not only reduce the environmental costs of food waste but also assist disadvantaged members of society.
FBA is becoming increasingly well-known among people, allowing it to establish wonderful partnerships with local farmers, vegetable markets, Catholic, Orthodox, and other churches/organizations. Together, they work towards a more sustainable and better future for everyone. Thanks to contributions from organizations like SamSam, FBA can purchase refrigeration and canning equipment, allowing food to be preserved for longer periods.
What does SamSam’s investment achieve?
The following goals are realized through SamSam’s contribution:
- Support for 5 additional soup kitchens (for children, homeless individuals, the elderly, disabled individuals) around Tirana, in addition to the 15 soup kitchens they already support.
- Wecking vegetables with women’s groups so that they can be preserved until winter, preventing unnecessary waste.
- Establishing a cooling room to store vegetables and fruits if they cannot be distributed on the same day, thus reducing waste.
“Thanks to SamSam, less food is wasted, and the carbon footprint is reduced.”