Schools have started reopening after a long pause resulted from the pandemic. Various precautionary measures are taken by schools and institutions to ensure the safety of children and teaching staff. A few of them are anxious, while the rest of them have been relieved to be back to a place that was so close to their hearts.

The Education Ministry has laid down a few guidelines for schools to re-open:
• Wearing masks is compulsory for all the students, teachers and staff.
• Strict hand hygiene routines should be followed.
• Children will sit six feet apart from each other.
• Sharing of books, toys and food will be prohibited.

After almost half a year, children are happy to be back to schools, meet their friends and teachers, clear doubts while they are physically present in school and to eat their mid-day meals again.

Resuming service of the Mid-Day Meal Programme
The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO in India has resumed serving nutritious mid-day meals to children who are back to Government and Government-aided schools after the pandemic. Hygiene and safety are given primary importance while preparing these meals. The kitchens and vessels are sterilised and sanitised while employees sanitise their hands and wear safety gear like gloves, masks, kitchen boots and headgears.

Food and quality checks are conducted at every stage of the preparation of meals. Mandatory routines are followed by each member of the kitchen staff. Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) are implemented in all the kitchens of the organisation. All cutting boards, knives, rice cauldrons, trolleys, rice chutes, dal/sambar tanks, and other instruments are sanitised before usage every single day. Temperature checks are carried out at each stage to ensure that children receive hot food.

Once these meals reach the schools, children thoroughly wash their hands while following social distance norms. Clean plates are distributed to ensure that children comfortably enjoy their food. Currently, the Foundation has begun serving school meals to mid-day meal beneficiaries in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Assam. Locally palatable meals are served in Kandi, Narsingi, Nawabpet, Kuppam, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Kakinada, Nellore, Lucknow, Vrindavan, Vizag, Mangalagiri, Srikakulam, Gudivada, Ghambiram and Vijayawada.

You can donate online to support Akshaya Patra in feeding mid-day meal beneficiaries. Your tax exemption donations ensure that children get hot, nutritious and hygienically prepared food. After the pandemic, children look forward to gaining their source of nutrition that they had access to earlier.

Your online donations can feed children for one full year at Rs.1100.

Young entrepreneurs, CEO’s, world-champions, athletes and programmers are everywhere in the world today. ‘Age is just a number’ truly holds good in every sense when you see such young children achieving their dreams and beyond.

Swami Vivekananda said, “You are the creator of your own destiny.”

He was a great source of inspiration for the youth of India and his birthday, 12th January was celebrated as National Youth Day since 1985. The theme for 2021 is “YUVAAH – Utsah Naye Bharat Ka.” This means that the youth are the excitement of India. Every child is unique in their own ways, some have already achieved their dreams, some are working towards it and the rest are on the quest of their goals.
Many children need the push to help them set afoot on their path. An environment that supports their growth is extremely important. Quality education, discipline, passion and nutritious food helps them channel their thought process.

How is National Youth Day celebrated?
To bring out the energy in young people, musical concerts are conducted across various college. To bring out freshness in ideas and trigger young minds, schools and colleges organise various competitions that help in bringing out the best of every child. Schools and colleges, dedicate this day towards the wellness of children and accommodate yoga and meditation to invigorate peace, calm and stability.

Akshaya Patra supports the future of India
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an NGO in India that has been feeding school children of India by providing them nutritious meals since the year 2000. It provides mid-day meals to 1.8 million children from 52 different locations belonging to 12 States and 2 Union Territories of India. You can donate to the NGO by:

Donating towards the Mid-Day Meal Scheme
Hot and locally palatable meals are provided to children to ensure that the nutritional values are met in different tastes. Your donation of ₹1100 ensures that one child gets school lunch for every day of school.
But, following the pandemic, schools have been shut for a while now, how can you still support children?

Donating towards Happiness Kits Programme
Food items, hygiene products and study materials are provided to each mid-day meal beneficiary to help them stay healthy and keep them engaged in learning-activities. Each kit is priced at ₹550 and so far, around 5 lakh kits have been distributed. 13 lakh students are yet waiting for their share of Happiness Kit.

Akshaya Patra’s COVID-19 Relief Service
Freshly cooked meals and grocery kits are provided to people in need in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Jharkhand, Tripura, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, NCR, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. Each grocery kit priced at ₹825 feeds a family for 21 days.

Donate to feed the needy people of India and extend your warmth in crucial times when the whole youth and labour force is displaced from their jobs. Be an inspiration to others by supporting a noble cause with Akshaya Patra. Inspire the youth to do good for the nation and bring out the best in them like how Swami Vivekananda brought did for the rest of the nation.

Let’s support young leaders of tomorrow on this National Youth Day!