The Hyderabad region of India had a particularly rough year in 2020. On top of all the struggles brought in by the coronavirus pandemic, the south central area of the country was hit hard by heavy flooding, and the two disasters left many migrant workers without jobs, money, or the means to provide for their families.

One local businessman decided to put his personal dreams on hold and use his hard-earned money for a greater good. Ramu Dosapati is a local businessman who works as a corporate HR executive. But his most meaningful work in “Human Resources” has occurred outside of an office building.

One month into the lockdown last year while at the supermarket picking up supplies for his son’s birthday celebration, Dosapati observed a woman making a massive,₹2000 (about $27 USD) purchase of chicken. Curious, he couldn’t help but ask what she was going to do with all the poultry she had just bought.

Speaking to BUSINESS INSIDER INDIA, Dosapati explained: “I was quite surprised as to why this lady is buying so much chicken. When I asked her I got to know she was buying it as a treat for migrant workers sheltered nearby, who had run out of food. When I asked her about her salary, she said it was ₹6,000 [$82.03]. That made me think that if a lady with ₹6,000 salary can spend ₹2,000 on the needy, why can’t I do the same?”

Dosapati followed the woman to the camp and made a list of 197 workers in need of food and other essential items. “There were people who wanted to go back to their hometowns by walking over 400-500 kms, I asked them to stay back and told them I would help them out,” he said.

This prompted his ‘Rice ATM’ idea, which he opened up in April. It serves as a 24hr distribution center for rice and other necessities to the local needy. Ramu initially invested ₹1,50,000 ($20,500) of his own savings into the project, but quickly realized that would only provide rations for a few days. As word spread and more and more people came to the rice ATM, it became clear that much more money was needed in order to support the charity center.

“Then I went to the local kirana store owner and requested him to lend out ration on my word. I broke my provident fund and showed him the receipt for the same, assuring him that the money would come to me and I would pay him,” Dosapati said.

Because of the overwhelming popularity of his Rice ATM, Ramu spoke with his wife and discussed putting on hold their plans of moving into a bigger home, even though they had sold some family property for $52,600 to put towards their new home. After being approached by so many people wanting to help out with the initiative. That’s when he and his wife decided to put the dream home on hold and fully invest into the needs of their community, with their current personal investment totaling ₹50 lakh ($68, 350).

Over the months, more and more support has come flooding in. It’s been a little over 255 days since Ramu Dosapati, and his Rice ATM is showing no signs of closing any time soon.

Watch Ramu’s fascinating story here: