Yvonne Nelson gets major supporter because in India, it is #RiceBucketChallenge

Ghanian actress was in the eye of the storm last week over her criticism of Africans taking the Ice bucket challenge, where people douse themselves with a bucket of icy water and post a video recording of it online. Nelson kicked against it saying why waste water, in a continent where many lack water.

“Africa, lets face our own problems and issues!!!! Smartest thing”

A lot of fans disagreed with her but another young woman, this time in India, has towed a similar line.

Thirty-eight year old  Manju Latha Kalanidhi decided to transform the #IceBucketChallenge into the #RiceBucketChallenge, by encouraging people on social media to donate a bucket or bowl of rice to someone in need. The campaign, launched last Friday, has attracted 138,000 contributors.

Her words: "The idea occurred to me when I saw the Ice Bucket Challenge on Facebook," said Manju Latha Kalanidhi, who works for.

"You feed someone hungry and you aren't wasting water," added Kalanidhi, who works for oryza.com, a website focused on rice research .

The idea is growing in water-starved nations in Asia. In Nepal, a #FillTheBucket challenge has been launched asking people to load up plastic buckets with food and medical supplies to help families displaced by deadly flooding and landslides this month.

At least 250 people have died and over 14,000 families have been displaced in Nepal after torrential monsoon rains triggered landslides and flooding, devastating entire villages and leaving thousands homeless.

The original social media campaign has attracted criticism in Asia over water wastage.

Former foreign minister and opposition spokesman in Sri Lanka, Mangala Samaraweera said:"Wasting water like this in a tropical country is an insult to thousands who are suffering because of the drought," said, referring to the parched southern regions of the island nation.

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