The association of Dounia Mebtoul, restaurateur and fervent believer in the goodness of the human being, allows many people in need to provide themselves with food throughout France.
by Clara Poudevigne
It was with a big smile and communicative energy that Dounia welcomed us to La Cantine du 18, a restaurant that she runs with her mother Malika, and where, in June 2017, she set up the first Frigo Solidaire in Paris.
"I discovered the principle of solidarity fridges in London, in a district called Brixton. It was self-service in an open market, and therefore allowed everyone to collect food, and everyone to drop it off."
Excited by the idea, the young woman returned to Paris with the project of creating a similar operation. Following the success of the storefront fridge placed in front of the family restaurant, which now allows more than 80 people to eat, she decides to launch an online fundraiser to make her project national. Very quickly, the business takes, and dozens of refrigerators populate France.
Dounia was also able to count on the City of Paris, which financed fifteen refrigerators for traders in the capital, but also on the support of Identity Mutuelle, a mutual of the social and solidarity economy, which today remains their most big partner.
Whether you are a merchant or an individual, you can also take part in the great appeal for solidarity launched by Dounia and its association: the map of the various Solidarity Fridges is available at https://www.identites-mutuelle.com/lesfrigossolidaires!
See also: Les Grands Voisins, a solidarity village in Paris