From Wedding Platter to Hunger Eats in Jakarta
Picture this: Jakarta’s sprawling slums are getting a front‑row seat to the glitz and glamour of the rich. A new program dubbed “Blessing to Share” is turning leftover wedding dishes into a lifeline for those on the very edge of the city.
Why is food wasted so badly in Jakarta?
- Every one of Indonesia’s 260 million people tosses out almost 300 kg of food per year.
- That’s more waste per person than any country except Saudi Arabia.
- The culprit? The local culture of generosity, which insists that every celebration is served with generous helpings.
- Results? Parties that look like spare‑chilies and endless plates that end up on the curb.
How “Blessing to Share” tackles the problem
By grabbing those extra plates — the ones people can’t eat — the program sends them straight to families who can’t even afford a decent meal. It’s a win‑win:
- Reduce the 30 % of food that is dumped worldwide (about 1.3 billion tonnes).
- Save the economy from losing up to US$1 trillion in wasted calories.
- Give a taste of the other half’s life to Jakarta’s poorest.
In a nutshell
Inside every grand banquet is a hidden opportunity: a slice of food that could nourish a family. “Blessing to Share” turns that slice into a real solution, letting the people who need it most taste something a little more delicious than plain take‑out pizza.
Bridging the Gap: One Wedding at a Time
Astrid Paramita, the brilliant mind behind the innovative food‑redistribution programme, is on a mission to turn Indonesia’s wedding extravaganzas into a trickle‑down feast for those who’re still hungry.
- Since launching in November, the initiative has netted food from around 50 weddings.
- That’s a whopping 1.6 tonnes of surplus already heading to local food banks.
- Looking ahead, Paramita plans to spread the movement to other cities and tap into corporate conferences for even more edible bounty.
“Every wedding in Indonesia is a banquet, and that’s not just for the newlyweds,” says Paramita, “but there are still many mouths that don’t know what this means—no, it’s not a buffet.”
Real‑World Impact
Take Efendi, a 60‑year‑old scavenger who’s been living life on the edge of the food chain. He found his life changing one weekend when he got free lunch from a fancy couple’s wedding we coordinated.
“I didn’t expect this,” he says, eyes wide. “Suddenly I’m getting food out of nowhere! It’s like the universe decided to give a boost to the community.”
The Future
Paramita’s heart-to-heart is clear: she wants to close the rich‑needy divide one wedding at a time, serving not just the celebratory families but every community that can benefit.
