“Our Actions Are Our Future. Healthy Diets. For a #ZeroHungerWorld.”
Each year, 16th October is observed as World Food Day across the globe. In order to address the various aspects of global hunger and the ways to tackle it, this day is celebrated with a specific theme each year and the theme for 2019 is quoted right at the beginning. This year will focus on the fact that food is the not the only solution to achieve zero hunger. Rather, it will emphasise on the need to ensure accessibility to nutritious food while also appealing everyone to be conscious of what they eat – so that as people are nourished, the earth gets nurtured too!
Aside from the dramatic change in our eating habits and lifestyle in recent decades, challenging socio-economic background is a major factor that hinders consumption of nutritious food. While the former is a resultant of personal choices, the latter is a concern that needs to be addressed in a concerted manner by the world organisations, government bodies, corporates and businesses, non-profit organisations, and the general public.
Celebrate World Food Day 2019 with Akshaya Patra
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a children NGO in India that has been serving school children with healthy and wholesome mid-day meals on each school day for the past 18+ years. Currently, the Foundation is providing daily school meals to more than 1.8 million children in 16,856 Government schools across 51 locations of 12 States and 2 Union Territories. By providing mid-day meals, Akshaya Patra aims to address two Sustainable Development Goals: Zero Hunger and Quality Education.
Akshaya Patra ensures that children eat healthy every day. Hence, it follows locally palatable and cyclic menu in each of its operational locations. The menu consists of various food items made of rice, wheat, pulses, green vegetables, legumes, milk, and curd. This provides children a balanced and nutritious diet on each school day.
As many meals, so many dreams!
Nourished children have a healthy mind that allows them to learn better and aim higher. And, it gets well reflected in the dreams of Akshaya Patra beneficiaries:
• “I aspire to be a Mathematician”, says Krishna from Gujarat.
• “I want to be a Nutritionist”, says Megha from Karnataka.
• “I aim to be an Architect”, says Tanaya from Odisha.
• “I want to be a Doctor”, says Sohil from Rajasthan.
• “My aim is to be an Astronaut” says Atharva Ajay Kale from Maharashtra.
• “My goal is to be a Physical Education Teacher” says P. Narasimha Raju from Andhra Pradesh.
These were just a handful of dreams that are getting nurtured by Akshaya Patra’s food for education.
It’s time to take action
The above-mentioned dreams are not mere aspirations, they are the means to reach the desirable end – a nourished, healthy, and vibrant world. Your support to Akshaya Patra has both immediate and gradual impact. Your one moment of generosity will instantly ensure daily school meals of children and fulfil their daily nutritional requirement while also supporting their education. Gradually, these factors will empower children to become resourceful and responsible citizens who can provide for themselves and their family thereby resulting in a #ZeroHungerIndia and eventually a #ZeroHungerWorld.
This World Food Day, take action for a healthy future by choosing to feed the children with nutritious school meals.
