The journey with the women of Aarey in Jan 2016 when Cassandra went to a Save Aarey meeting in Aarey Forest and stayed back to use food as an instrument of effecting change. Realising that the women hardly had any skills and that most of them could cook, the concept of the TRibal Lunch was born. These lunches achieved two things, it got Mumbaikars to see Aarey Forest and this interaction helped in obtaining benefits for the tribal communities. The milestones achieved for the community, includes the following:
- Flour mills that saved women from walking long distances to the Chakki
- Smokeless chullas that saved time and health
- Solar torches to help with study and travel at night
- Refurbished community bore wells that eased water problems
- Bio toilets that benefited the community
- Medical camps / free specs and medicine distribution
- Shoes, toys, cycles, prams, books, raincoats, linen, clothes for the kids
- A Protein project for improving the health of the women & children
These are just some of the ways in which the Tribal lunch brought about a better lifestyle for the village folk of Aarey.
The biggest change was in the manner in which the family started respecting the women and how the menfolk would look after the kids on a tribal Lunch day