The 4-year old kid had a very shabby appearance. He was obviously sick and hungry too. Mucus flowed down his nose, which at short, frequent intervals he would wipe. His right hand held a cob of boiled sweetcorn he had been munching slowly. A few minutes later, his grandmother brought him a bowl of noodles. The food had come from the several boxes of instant noodles donated by a voluntary body. For the boy the boiled noodles were an exceptional