Empowering communities; redistributing excess food to those in need
Connect the excess food producers with people in need.
Food waste is one of the major threats to our generation, especially in the metro cities, this idea helps to connect and share surplus or extra food to food insecurity people in the neighborhood through NGO's and volunteers. It's a locality-based network, restaurants or other food donors in the neighborhood will contribute to the homeless of the same locality.
ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES
The Challenge
Connect the excess food producers with people in need. Create awareness among people about the impact of food waste and reduce it at the same time, it should reach right people, those who can work or able earn they should not get at same time.
GOAL
Defeat excess food wastage and address starvation by creating awareness to reduce food waste.
A platform should connect the excess food producers like restaurants, event management, and corporate companies food canteens to connect the people in need like NGO’s, orphanages, old age homes, leveraging both establishments to open the opportunity for volunteers to create a win-win situation for all, at the same time a strategy needs to be created for bringing the awareness on food waste among people.
Design Thinking Workshop
Design thinking workshop was conducted with the NGO stakeholders and Food distributors.
These insights collectively laid the foundation for a user-centric platform design, enabling collaboration among stakeholders and creating a sustainable ecosystem to tackle food waste and hunger.
Seamless coordination is crucial
Food givers emphasized the importance of a transparent, real-time communication system for efficient logistics, including pickup, delivery, and storage, while volunteers highlighted the need for flexible task scheduling to boost participation.
Volunteer motivation and retention
Volunteers suggested gamification or reward systems to sustain their motivation and recognize their efforts. They also highlighted the need for a streamlined onboarding process to reduce friction for new participants.
AS-IS journey
Started with As is journey map' by empathizing with a persona, while mapping the journey I noticed the moments of delight, pain, drop-off points, motivation and opportunities. I started to measure the improvements to implement the next process of root cause analysis.
Research
Explanation of exploration
Secondary research highlights that food waste poses a significant challenge, particularly in metro cities, where it disrupts food production and agriculture, increasing demand while many struggle to access basic necessities. A key insight reveals that many people are willing to volunteer but are not engaged due to a lack of direct requests or accessible opportunities. Additionally, encouraging community-driven initiatives and providing convenient channels for participation can significantly bridge the gap between surplus food and those in need, reducing waste and promoting social equity.
Mismatch in awareness and accessibility: Many food donors, including restaurants and cafes, are unaware of efficient channels to redistribute surplus food, while NGOs and shelters often struggle to find reliable food sources consistently.
Logistics is a key barrier: Timely pickup, proper storage, and delivery of leftover food were identified as significant challenges. A lack of coordination often results in food spoilage, making efficient logistics solutions essential.
Stigma around receiving leftover food: Beneficiaries shared concerns about the perception of receiving leftover food, highlighting the importance of clear communication and a respectful approach in food distribution.
Potential to create a sense of community: Both donors and recipients agreed that the initiative could foster stronger community connections, with donors feeling a sense of purpose and recipients experiencing dignity and care.
Connecting Ideas to Reveal the Bigger Picture
Drawing from the raw data of design thinking, secondary research, and insights from contextual inquiries, I began visualizing the hypothesis using the technique of concept mapping. This approach has helped me identify key connections between various points, organizing them in a hierarchical, multi-level structure. My goal is to enhance meta-cognition and foster logical thinking by uncovering relationships between complex issues. This enables a broader perspective, moving beyond isolated thoughts or specific facts to see the bigger picture and better understand the challenges at hand.
Understanding the core problem: Challenges: food waste in metro cities, inefficient redistribution channels, and limited volunteer engagement, this understanding formed the foundation of the solution.
Identifying key stakeholders and needs: Insights from food donors, NGOs, and volunteers highlighted needs for efficient logistics, consistent food sources, and flexible engagement.
Analysing patterns and connections: Concept mapping helped uncover relationships between challenges and solutions, revealing opportunities to address multiple issues simultaneously.
Prioritising challenges to address:
Focused on impactful interventions: efficient logistics, a user-friendly platform, and awareness campaigns to reduce stigma and engage volunteers.
Crafting a vision for impact:
The solution was centered on creating a sense of community and purpose, by connecting surplus food with those in need, Project “Re-Serve” not only tackles food waste but also fosters dignity, care, and collaboration among all stakeholders.
Decision-Making Process to Conclude the Solution
