As the summer days dwindle, the excitement of a new school year takes hold across India. But for millions of children from challenging socioeconomic backgrounds, doubt reigns in their minds.

Some of them lent a hand in fields during vacations, while others stayed home to care for younger siblings. But now, we are geared up to bring these young, bright minds back to school.

With our unwavering commitment, visionary approach, strong government backing and undying support from donors worldwide, we are ready again to provide them what they rightfully deserve – unlimited learning, fun-filled playtime and nutritious meals – under PM POSHAN Abhiyaan.

The butterfly effect of PM POSHAN Abhiyaan

The power of a mid-day meal: At Akshaya Patra, we recognise that nutrition is the bedrock for effective learning. Our core belief that “no child should be deprived of education because of hunger” drives us to deliver hot and nutritious mid-day meals (MDM) across 67 locations in India every school day. Through this persistent endeavour, we not only ensure that children have access to regular meals but also address the issue of classroom hunger, enhancing their ability to concentrate and excel in their studies.

Breaking the barriers: For millions of children, financial challenges act as an insurmountable barrier to education. We help break this cycle of deprivation by serving mid-day meals (MDM), which also incentivise families to send their children back to school every day. By empowering them through meals for education, we unlock doors to endless opportunities and pave the way for a more inclusive society. Additionally, with our pilot initiative of NEST (National Endeavour for Student Transformation), we have also begun supporting children with scholarships and digital aids to improve learning outcomes under PM POSHAN Abhiyaan.

Building a better tomorrow for girls: There has been a significant improvement in the enrolment of girls in schools because of PM POSHAN Abhiyaan. Additionally, by employing women’s self-help groups at our decentralised kitchens, we are creating a safe and inclusive environment for women to challenge societal norms and foster a generation of confident and self-reliant women. Our recent achievement on this front is our 67th kitchen in Barsana, the first-of-its-kind women-led community kitchen with 80% of its workforce being women.

Empowering communities: We strive to extend our impact far beyond the individual child. By partnering with local communities, government agencies and corporate entities, we aim to give rise to a collaborative ecosystem that works to eliminate hunger-related impediments and make education accessible to all. Such a collective effort fosters a sense of community ownership, inspiring change at a grassroots level and nurturing a generation of well-rounded individuals equipped to uplift their communities.

Your support matters this Back to School season! Let’s feed the children.

So this Back to School season, let’s be a beacon of hope and open the doors to another exciting year of education, health and interaction with peers for these children. Together, let’s give every child the opportunity to learn, grow and transform their future.

Contribute to help us send 2 million children back to school!

In India, Jains and Hindus alike observe Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akti or Akha Teej. It is considered one of the most auspicious days according to the Hindu calendar. The word ‘Akshaya’ in Sanskrit means ‘never-ending’ or ‘inexhaustible’ and ‘Tritiya’ refers to the ‘third lunar day of the Vaisakha month’ (April-May). People across, purchase valuables like gold, silver or kitchen vessels as it is believed that anything done on this day multiplies by manifold.

It is also believed that doing charity comes back in the form of rewards and therefore, various forms of ‘giving’ are practiced by Indians on this day.

This Akshaya Tritiya, you can make a difference by donating to Akshaya Patra and supporting our efforts to provide wholesome mid-day meals (MDM) to children under the Central Government’s PM POSHAN Abhiyaan. Synonymous to Akshaya Patra—the magical vessel with never-ending supply of food in Mahabharata—the Pandavas received from Surya Dev, we deliver ‘unlimited food for education’ to children from government and government-aided schools.

Every donation you make supports a child by ensuring that they have an access to at least one healthy meal every school day (MDM), thus aiding their overall growth. This meal also acts as an encouragement for them to attend classes every day and as an incentive for parents to send their children to school, thus improving the attendance rate. This meal has also succeeded in upscaling the enrolment of children and addressed the issue of dropouts in schools.

Additionally, access to wholesome meals help children pay attention in class and actively participate in other co-curricular activities. This has led to better academic performance and encouraged young minds in persevering to pursue their dreams and aspirations.

You can inherit ’unending good wishes’ by serving hot meals to children and multiply your blessings, this auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya, with Akshaya Patra.

Feeding 2 million children every day

With more than 2 million students enrolled in over 22,000 schools spread over 15 states and 2 union territories, The Akshaya Patra Foundation is one of the largest NGO-run school lunch programmes in the world. It is distributed across 66 locations in India and offers children nutritious mid-day meals (MDM) that are prepared to suit their local palate.

This Akshaya Tritiya, donate online to Akshaya Patra. Feed children every day and help address hunger in classrooms. Your contribution today will provide food for children for an entire academic year while encouraging them to continue following their dreams.