Well-fed, well-read, well-achieved – that’s the kind of generation Akshaya Patra dreams of! And to make this dream come true, we started concerting all our efforts to support education by providing nutrition-rich mid-day meals since 2000.

The 18-year journey has been exciting and action-packed. With years of rich learning, the Foundation has evolved from serving 1500 mid-day meal to 1.76 million children in 15,668 schools across 12 states. Take a closer look:

So, what inspires us to expand our reach more?

We feel immensely blessed to witness countless hope stories of children and their transformation in the past eighteen years. Today, Akshaya Patra’s beneficiary children along with their parents stand as motivating examples of the extraordinary change that mid-day meal programme is capable of bringing in their lives. We are humbled to be a part of their incredible journey.

This is one of the hope stories, which stirs our heart and inspires us to make new beginnings possible for children.

Introducing Muskan Salim Malik. She is a Standard VII Akshaya Patra beneficiary from Gujarat.

Muskan has always been keen on learning languages and aspires to be a professor someday. She feels grateful that in spite of the social stigma surrounding educating a girl child in her community; her father advocates and supports her schooling.

Expressing her concern, Muskan says, “Just because I attend school, we have had to face strong criticism from the elder members of my family. Indeed, my father has not surrendered and accepted the situation.” By becoming an academician, she wants to see her father’s head held high and be an example to other families who have daughters.

Muskan hails from a family of eight – mother, father, three sisters, two brothers and herself. Her siblings also study in the same school. She says, “It becomes tougher for my parents to arrange for wholesome square meals a day. So, I am indebted to Akshaya Patra, for providing us the tasty mid-day meals which I get to relish with my friends.”

Upholding the hope stories of children like Muskan, we try to make their aspirations achievable.

With thousands of hands reaching out to us in support of school children,
we strengthen our belief that together we can build a nation
where every child has an easy access to
‘unlimited food for education.’

DONATE FOR CHILDREN

Makar Sankranti marks the advent of a new phase symbolising abundance, joy, and prosperity. A harvest festival, it is celebrated across India with mush pomp and show. This Makar Sankranti, multiply your joy by including young beneficiaries of Akshaya Patra in your celebration.

Makar Sankranti, one of the most-awaited harvest festivals in India signifies new beginnings, good health, success and prosperity. It spreads the message of harmony and universal brotherhood. Each state has its indigenous way of celebrating this festival and aside from being called as Makar Sankranti or Sankrat in most states, this festival is known as Lohri in Punjab; Magh Bihu in Assam, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Uttarayana in Gujarat, Suggi in Karnataka, and Poush Sankranti in West Bengal. People celebrate this festival with much fun and frolic by offering prayers, taking holy dips, charity, preparing traditional sweets and savouries, kite flying, bonfire, revelling in folk dance and music, visiting Makar Sankranti fairs.

Makar Sankranti is another festival that reflects the amazing aspect of unity in diversity. Living up to the spirit of brotherhood and cultural solidarity, share the joy of this festive season with Akshaya Patra’s young beneficiaries too. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is currently providing nutritious meals to 17,62,133 children studying in 14,702 Government schools and Government-aided schools across 40 locations of 12 states. This meal has supported millions of children to attend school regularly, complete their education, and achieve their goals. The school lunch programme has been a remarkable pillar of support in furthering the cause of education for all.

Quoting Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, “A joy shared is a joy doubled”; and as you celebrate this festival with much fun and frolic, share the joys with young children by giving them the goodness of health and education that will pave their way to prosperity. This Makar Sankranti, add goodwill by supporting the much-needed school meals of children. Donate for a child generously and see them transform into healthy, educated, and resourceful citizens of the country. Your benevolent contribution will help the Foundation to extend the benefits of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme to many more children. Let us together empower the future of the nation, the children.

Akshaya Patra wishes each and every one a very happy and bountiful Makar Sankranti!

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