How ROLI began

Andrew Faris founded Rhythms of Life International in 2008. After surviving many years homeless on the streets of London, Andrew's life changed after he began selling his photographs to publications.

When an earthquake hit South Asia in October 2005, Andrew found himself on a plane to Pakistan and was soon taking pictures for Unicef and Sky News. In Pakistan, Andrew witnessed the destruction of entire cities and could not forget these memories when he got back to London.

One image stuck in his mind. The death of a young girl, orphaned by the earthquake, and a victim to a rogue doctor who prescribed her false medicine. Waiting with her friends at the hospital, Andrew remembers the distorted beeping of the Electrocardiograph machine when her heart stopped. The name Rhythms of Life came to him then.

Andrew’s time on the streets and the scenes he witnessed in Kashmir, Abbottabad, Bittal and Sarooba Town made him think a lot about what immediate help homeless people need to survive. Daily meals served in the evening, for example, and help building life skills.

And so Rhythms of Life International began life in Hackney, one of the poorest boroughs in the United Kingdom. The charity served its first meal in May 2008. Since then ROLI has served more than 60,000 hot meals and nearly 130,000 sandwiches.

Who runs ROLI?

Andrew leads a team of dedicated volunteers who help collect, prepare and distribute food to homeless users. ROLI is a local charity with limited funds and so relies heavily on volunteers and is immensely grateful for their hard work.

Want to join ROLI’s team?