Lubna Ali’s Fight to End Hunger With Dignity

My name is Lubna Ali, founder of the Secret of Happiness Trust. During the COVID lockdown, when the world was confined indoors, I stepped out and saw something I could never unsee: people sleeping on roads with empty stomachs, families surviving on scraps, and children crying not because they wanted toys, but because they were hungry. That was the moment I realised hunger is not just the absence of food; it is the absence of dignity, security, and hope.

Feeding the Hungry Became My First Responsibility

What started as a small effort to distribute food quickly became a daily mission. We began reaching out to people who had no income, no ration cards, and no idea where their next meal would come from. Through the Secret of Happiness Trust, food distribution became our first promise; to ensure that no one we reach sleeps hungry. Every meal we serve carries care, respect, and the belief that no human deserves to be ignored because they are poor.

Hunger and Children: A Reality We Couldn’t Ignore

While distributing food, I noticed that hunger affects children the most. A hungry child cannot learn, cannot grow, and cannot dream. Many children in slum areas were out of school, not because they didn’t want to study, but because hunger had pushed education far behind survival. That’s when we began combining food support with basic education, ensuring children receive meals while learning, because learning is impossible on an empty stomach.

Beyond Food: Addressing the Roots of Hunger

As our work grew, it became clear that hunger is deeply connected to unemployment, lack of skills, and awareness. To break this cycle, we started skill enhancement programmes for children and youth who cannot afford expensive courses. We keep the fees extremely minimal so that financial hardship does not become another barrier. By empowering them with skills, we aim to create long-term food security, not just temporary relief.

Hunger Also Lives in Our Environment

Hunger doesn’t exist alone; it grows in neglected surroundings. Poor sanitation, polluted localities, and lack of awareness worsen health and food insecurity. Alongside feeding programmes, we actively conduct cleanliness drives and environmental awareness initiatives, believing that a healthier environment supports healthier lives and reduces hunger-related suffering.

Why This Campaign Matters

Today, the Secret of Happiness Trust continues to fight hunger at its core through food distribution, child nourishment, education support, skill development, and community awareness. This campaign is not about charity; it is about standing beside those who are struggling silently and reminding them that they matter.

A Gentle Appeal From My Heart

I cannot fight hunger alone. Every contribution to this campaign helps us serve meals, support hungry children, and build pathways so families don’t have to live meal to meal. If you believe that no one should go to sleep hungry, I invite you to walk this journey with us. Together, we can ensure that hunger does not decide someone’s future and that happiness is no longer a secret.