#BlogToFeedAChild

The tax season is not merely about saving tax! It is also an opportunity for people to make a meaningful change in society. By supporting a social cause, you can contribute to improve the world and receive tax benefits in return. If you are reading this, you already care about making a difference.

This tax season, double your impact by supporting the cause of alleviating classroom hunger and receive tax exemption under Section 80G.

What is Section 80G?

Section 80G is a testament to the government’s support of individuals’ philanthropic efforts. With an aim to incentivise charitable giving, the Government of India gives tax exemption for donations above ₹500 to a registered charitable organisation under Section 80G of the Income Tax (IT) Act.

By donating to an NGO registered under Section 80G, you can claim a deduction from your taxable amount. Depending on the organisation’s registration, a taxpayer can claim either a 50 percent or 100 percent exemption from their taxable amount. However, taxpayers should be aware that not all non-profits or charitable organisations are eligible to offer donors a Section 80G deduction.

Double Impact: Feed Children. Save Tax.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation serves hot and nutritious mid-day meals to millions of children in government and government-aided schools. Currently, we are serving mid-day meals to 2.25 million children in more than 23,000 schools across India. Over the last 24 years, we are striving to reach every child with meals and protect their right to nutrition and education.

Apart from mid-day meals, we also have initiatives to serve meals to mothers in ashrams, the Anganwadi feeding programme and food assistance as a part of the disaster relief. Whether it was floods, cyclone or earthquake, as a responsible NGO, the Foundation has always worked diligently within the country and abroad to provide relief to people in the aftermath of a disaster.

This tax season, join us in our endevour by donating meals and receive tax benefits in return.

Keerthana – A Paediatrician in the Making

In Keerthana’s childhood memories, doctors have a huge role as she often falls sick. The way the doctors treated her left a lasting impression on her. It seeded in her the dream to become a Paediatrician and give children the care and compassion she received once.

Keerthana lives with her parents and elder brother. Her father is a mason and her mother works as a househelp. Her brother is studying in 9th standard in a different school. Though her parents have a busy schedule at work, they always make sure that nothing stands in the way of their children’s education and give them all the support they can.

As her parents leave early for work, Keerthana sometimes has to skip breakfast. The mid-day meals that Akshaya Patra serves at her school are a huge relief to her parents as they ensure her health and help her focus on her classes.

With gratitude to her parents, teachers and Akshaya Patra, Keerthana moves forward with unyielding determination to achieve her dream. As she continues her journey, let’s stand by her side by ensuring nourishing meals every day.

If you are looking for a trustworthy NGO to donate to, we can say confidently that you have come to the right place. Our organisation has been awarded the ICAI Gold Shield Award for seven consecutive years and is the only NGO that entered the ICAI Hall of Fame. This itself will speak for our credibility. So, without waiting any longer, click on the button below to feed children and save tax.

Donate online. Bring smiles. Get 50% tax exemption

Author: Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

Millennials and Gen Z are driving societal changes whether it is creating awareness about the environment, philanthropy, or just healthy eating. But hold it. Are these young adults familiar about hunger as the latest raging and real issue at hand? Many youngsters I personally interact with, are blissfully unaware of the ‘hunger epidemic’ and the ‘hidden hunger syndrome’. Without spouting too much of statistics, let me give you the bigger picture. From a Global Hunger Index (2019) standpoint, India has been slipping up in ranking year- on- year to reach a low of being ranked 102 from among 117 countries in 2019. This literally means that more Indians go to sleep hungry, adding to the alarming situation arising due to the pandemic.

Having been associated with Akshaya Patra for many years, I must admit, that I am no stranger to the concept of ‘hidden hunger’. I have first-hand knowledge about hunger amongst India’s large populace. With COVID-19 taking over all our lives and especially underprivileged people, the dual challenges of hunger and malnutrition have really opened up another Pandora’s box. With schools shut down, millions of children who depended on mid-day meals as the only source of a nutritious meal for the day, have been facing starvation. So, what does it mean for us as a country? Are we to continue ignoring our poor citizens of a healthy childhood and later adulthood?

My own experience with caring for others has been soul satisfying. My endeavours at connecting with the disadvantaged have taught me many life lessons.

Nutritious food is a security blanket for all children who make up this country’s future generation. Allow me to cut the chase and come to the point. In India, September is being observed as a National Month of Nutrition. (Rashtriya Poshan Maah)*. In view of this, Akshaya Patra Foundation has launched the ‘Happiness Bags Programme’*. This is an initiative for the Foundation’s mid-day meal beneficiary students, who will receive a Happiness Bag with dry groceries and education supplies to help meet their nutritional needs and cover the educational gap that these students are currently facing. The Happiness Bag humbly priced at ₹550 provides nutrition, immunity, health, hygiene as well as educational materials to disadvantaged families. The nutritional value of the food contents in this bag comprise of protein, iron, iodine, and glucose-rich foods and the bag also includes an activity book to engage the student.

Being observed on September 5th, International Day of Charity is around the corner, and the day is of special relevance this year. Having seen so much of disruption all around, perhaps every individual can take a small step, more so the young folks. So, all young Indians reading this blog, make a difference and contribute towards ‘Nutrition on Someone’s Plate’ by sponsoring one ‘Happiness Bag’ this month and make someone very happy 😊.

Reference:
*https://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/september-month-celebrated-rashtriya-poshan-maah-09201983194.html

Every day of school is synonymous with fun, friends and free unlimited food for children. They looked forward to coming to school because they get to meet their friends, narrate experiences of the previous day and sit together to eat their mid-day meals. With the on-going chaos caused by the COVID pandemic, schools, colleges and offices are shut down indefinitely. Children who were dependent on one source of wholesome meal a day were left without a wholesome source of nutrition to fight the virus.

Earlier during school, the sound of the delivery van brought on a 1000-watt smile on the faces of children. But, with schools closed down for a while, the delivery vans are left in their memories of children till schools reopen. If it was not for the COVID pandemic, children would have begun a new academic year and The Akshaya Patra Foundation would have continued implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme to feed children.

How did Akshaya Patra tackle this situation?
The COVID-19 virus could not stop The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO in India that was synonymous with feeding school meals. In continuation of up-keeping the health of children and to engage them with school-related learning activities amid the pandemic, the Foundation started distributing Happiness Bags to its beneficiaries in Bengaluru, as a part of its feeding programme.

How would Happiness Bags help?

Each Box distributed to its beneficiaries:
• Ensures children continue to receive wholesome meals in the prevailing crisis.
• Boosts immunity and health of children.
• Ensures that basic hygiene requirements are addressed.
• Engages children in activities that support their continuous learning amid the lockdown.

Every Happiness Box supports the well-being of children by providing them with immunity, adequate nutrition, hygiene kit and learning materials.
• Nutrition – Adequate and right nutrition helps in giving children the energy required for proper physical and cognitive development.
• Immunity – Turmeric is known to boost immunity. Immunity boosters like sambar and turmeric powders help in improving resistance to diseases.
• Hygiene – Basic hygiene products like toothpaste, toothbrush and soap are provided to the beneficiaries. For girl children, a pack of sanitary napkins is provided as well.
• Education – To keep their minds active during the lockdown, an activity book, pencils or pens, crayon or colouring set and Classmate notebooks are packed in the box distributed to every child.

By supporting their food and education, we at Akshaya Patra look forward to bringing out the best in children because they are the ones who decide the future of our nation. This is why this initiative is of utmost importance. We are present in 52 locations spread across 12 States and 2 Union Territories of India. The pandemic has given us a strong reason to reach out to all the children we would have reached otherwise. Children hailing from challenging socio-economic backgrounds require your support. Pledge to feed a child with Akshaya Patra’s Happiness Box initiative. Every little child has the right to food and education, even amid the crisis hour. All we need to do is give the right resources to strengthen them and their cognitive abilities.

Provide Happiness Bags to help children become physically stronger and intellectually sharper

Healthy children grow into healthy adults
How can we ensure good health for children?

Good health comes from consuming healthy food
Since they are the adults of tomorrow, it is imperative that we feed the children so that they get the required nutrition which ensures their holistic development.

Around 40% of children in India are undernourished

Various NGOs like The Akshaya Patra Foundation are working towards reversing these numbers. By implementing the Central Government’s Mid-Day Meal Scheme, it feeds nutritious meals to children belonging to challenging socio-economic backgrounds. It works towards two causes simultaneously – food and education. It feeds unlimited food for education to 18,00,907 children studying in 19,039 Government schools and Government-aided schools. The Foundation feeds in 52 different locations spread across 12 States and 2 Union Territories of India.

To know about locations in which Akshaya Patra implements the Mid-Day Meal Programme, click here.

Children are the foundation on which lies the progress of the nation. Akshaya Patra feeds healthy meals that take care of the nutritional requirements stated by the Central Government of India for providing mid-day meals to school children.

Locally palatable meals are served to children in a cyclical order to avoid wastage of food. This means that each state prepares meals that are region-specific. For example, roti and aloo matar is served in Haryana, while bisibele bhath is served in Karnataka and pulisu curry is served in Andhra Pradesh. This initiative ensures that children also relish their food.

Here are a few stories of children who enjoy eating meals prepared by Akshaya Patra:

Mitali from Gujarat dreams of becoming a Designer

Mitali and her little sister live with her mother who stitches mattress covers. She aims to be a mattress designer and says, “I feel that by being a designer of mattresses, I would create and sell dreams.” She never misses Akshaya Patra’s meals because they are very tasty. It is very much needed for us when her mother has to leave home early in search of work.

Megha wants to become a nutritionist when she grows up

Megha was prone to falling sick very often in her childhood. Knowing the importance of healthy and nutritious meals early in her life, she says, “Even though we go to school empty stomach, we come back home with tummy-filled happiness as Akshaya Patra serves unlimited tasty meals.”

Tanaya from Odisha wants to become an architect

A 6th standard student studying in Odisha wants to give shape to the blueprints of dream homes of people. She has been Akshaya Patra’s beneficiary for six years and says she loves “the food, especially the soya bean curry. It is my favourite and I like to have it with rice.” The food delights her every day that it reaches on time daily excites her.

To read more such stories of children, click here.

The hope that meals bring in children’s lives is worth a read. Your online donations have the capacity to help children realise that they can dream and achieve them too. Meals are a medium to bring them one step closer to reality, support the feeding of children by joining Akshaya Patra.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an NGO in India that not only provides mid-day meals to school children but also provides cooked meals and essential kits during the Corona pandemic. As a part of its COVID-19 relief services, it has served a total of 5 crore meals to lower-income sections of the society. With your donations towards Akshaya Patra, you help your fellow citizens during the Lockdown period.

Good nutrition, adequate and balance diet is the epitome of good health. These are the founding stones of a strong and healthy immune system. Boosting immunity during this hour of COVID-19 pandemic is what reaps bountiful benefits.

Millions of people around the world are abiding to the ‘social distancing’ and ‘staying safe at home’ norms laid down by the Government of India during the lockdown. Due to the increasing number of people being tested positive for COVID-19, the lockdown that aims to reduce the rapid spread of the disease, seems very far from being lifted. There are millions of people who are unable to go back to their homeland and are stuck at various places. Along with these people, there are others who are not able to access basic resources that are essential for survival; as they rely on daily wages.

The pandemic threatens the ‘at-risk’ population including children, new-borns and the elderly as well. With no catering services to feed them and schools not functioning during the pandemic, they do not get the adequate amount of food that they would otherwise have access to. To help them fight the threat of hunger lurking during the pandemic, many Non-Government Organisations have come forward to provide support. As per The Economic Times, according to the World Food Programme analysis, 130 million people could be pushed to the brink of starvation by the end of 2020, due to COVID-19.

Going by those number, hunger would kill more number of people than COVID-19. The Akshaya Patra Foundation stepped in to address this problem and started its COVID-19 relief services on 25th March 2020. Working in close coordination with Government of India, State Governments & District Administration, along with receiving ample support in the form of COVID-19 donations from individual donors, corporate donors and the help of thousands of volunteers, it provides food relief to the needy people. It feeds the marginalised and low-income sections of the society that comprises of daily wage workers, construction site workers, migrant labourers and needy people at old age homes and night shelters. The Foundation is serving cooked meals and distributing dry essential kits to the needy on a daily basis during the lockdown period. Till date, Akshaya Patra has served a cumulative of 5 crore meals in the states of Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tripura, West Bengal and Punjab.

This World Hunger Day, be a part of Akshaya Patra’s COVID-19 Relief Services. Donate to feed the marginalized sections of the society.

Rajasthan is the seventh most populous and one of the top five states in the country with the youngest population. However, the educational performance of Rajasthan is not on par with the national average of reading, mathematics and other subjects. There can be many reasons for this including socio-economic circumstances, infrastructure challenges, sanitary amenities, lack of access to food and other such basic needs, etc. Each of these is a serious threat to children’s fundamental rights: nutrition and education.

Impact of PM POSHAN Abhiyaan

PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (Mid-Day Meal or MDM Programme) is an initiative by the Government of India to tackle childhood hunger and malnutrition by serving hot, nutritious meals to schoolchildren in the country. By partnering with NGOs, the government enhances the effectiveness of the programme to achieve the desired goal.

Akshaya Patra’s Efforts to Bring the Change

The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO in Rajasthan, works as an implementing partner of the PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (Mid-Day Meal Programme) to assist the government in empowering children by securing their education through the assurance of mid-day meals. The organisation established its first kitchen in Jaipur in 2004 and currently operates in 10 locations.

Decentralised Model

In Baran, we are operating a decentralised model kitchen, as it is challenging to build a centralised one there due to geographic and infrastructure issues. The cooking process is done by women Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the guidance of Akshaya Patra. By following this method, we strive not to miss out on children in difficult terrains.

In sum, the organisation is serving 2,53,210 children in 3,367 schools every day providing them nutritious and hygienic mid-day meals to support their health and education.

Akshaya Patra Menu in Rajasthan

Akshaya Patra currently serves mid-day meals in 16 states and 2 UTs in the country. Serving meals while adhering to the local palate is always a priority for the NGO. In Rajasthan, Akshaya Patra follows the menu below.

Serve Dreams. Witness Hope

Continue the legacy of the land of heroic warriors by being a hunger warrior! Donate to charity to alleviate classroom hunger. Your contribution helps children to pursue their dreams and live better lives.

Malnutrition in children is one of the major barriers to the overall development of India. Observing this, the Government has introduced several programmes to address the issue of hunger in children. One such programmes is the PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (Mid-Day Meal Programme or MDM).

Mid-Day Meal Programme – A Remedy for Malnutrition in Children

PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (MDM) is a remarkable initiative by the Government of India to serve mid-day meals to children in government and government-aided schools and thus ensure their holistic nourishment. The programme mainly strives to bring in two main equalities among children.

1. Nutritional equality
   Due to the economic constraints, many children do not receive adequate nutrient-rich meals from their households. This can cause serious problems in their physical and mental development. The balanced meals they receive from school address this issue and protect them from the risk of illnesses caused by nutrient deficiencies.
   
2. Educational equality
   The promise of a nutritious meal every day encourages parents to send their children to school which in turn safeguards their right to education. With proper nourishment, children will enjoy their learning which in turn better their future.

Let’s look in detail at the importance of mid-day meals in India.

As per UNICEF’s Global Nutrition Report 2018, India bears almost a third of the global burden of malnutrition. The root cause of this widespread issue is malnourishment in childhood which manifests primarily through stunting, wasting and anaemia. It leads to serious health, social and economic repercussions in the future. In order to prevent such causes, regular nutrition is necessary.

For a healthy upbringing, children need a balanced intake of the following two kinds of nutrients.

• Macronutrients – Carbohydrates, proteins and fat are the macronutrients we need in a large amount
• Micronutrients – Vitamins and minerals our body needs in small amounts.

Another pressing concern related to malnutrition is hidden hunger. It stems from deficiencies in micronutrients such as iodine, vitamin A, iron and zinc. Children from a challenging socio-economic background rely on low-quality food that is available at a cheaper rate. However, such food does not meet their body’s nutritional demands which seriously damages their health, growth and development.

The outcomes of the Mid-Day Meal Programme (MDM):

• Increase enrolment
• Improve attendance
• Better concentration power
• Address malnutrition
• Mitigate classroom hunger
• Reduce the drop-out rate
• Women empowerment
• Improve socialisation

How Akshaya Patra contributes to the Mid-Day Meal Programme?

Akshaya Patra, as an implementing partner, has been serving mid-day meals to children since 2000. From feeding 1,500 children in 5 schools in Bengaluru, the NGO has now reached feeding 2.2 million children in 16 states and 2 UTs. Our kitchens with state-of-the-art facilities meet global quality standards and serve meals that are safe, hygienic and nutritious, adhering to the local palate. We employ food fortification methods to meet the diverse nutritional needs of children. It has shown a successful result in preventing their micronutrient deficiencies.

Recently, we have achieved a milestone of serving 4 billion cumulative meals and we celebrated it at the UN headquarters. It throws light on our commitment to combat classroom hunger and thus promote education.

Each meal you donate for children nourishes many such dreams and makes their lives better.

Behind every meal we have served so far, there was a helping hand of generous people like you. Continue supporting us to realise our vision of ‘No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger’.

Your support nourishes their dreams and inspires them to reach new heights.

This Diwali, share the goodness of wholesome meals
and the light of education with 1.8 million children
across India.

Diwali, the festival of lights is one of the most awaited festivals in India. It is celebrated with much enthusiasm by people across all age groups and regions. While we engage in making this festive season joyful and memorable, let’s take a moment to spread the joy among children who needs our support. All we need to do is, gift them school meals! Celebrate Diwali 2019 with Akshaya Patra.

Diwali is one of the most-awaited festivals of India. People across the country and ages celebrate it with much enthusiasm and vigour. They decorate their homes and offices with diyas, flowers, and rangolis, offer prayers, distribute gifts and sweets to near and dear ones, organise get-togethers, and enjoy fireworks. This festival of lights brightens up our homes and hearts with love, joy, and warmth. Diwali celebration has its significance across various belief systems, but the symbolic cord that runs common across all of them is the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance.

Diwali 2019 – Let’s make it brighter!
Diwali comes just once a year and celebrating with and gifting our loved ones is an expression of our love, goodwill, respect, and gratefulness. While most of us have made our shopping and gifting lists ready, how about adding one more thing to make this year’s Diwali celebration better and brighter. Well, all you have to do is add ‘Gift a Meal’ to your list.

This Diwali, take a moment to gift children the goodness of nutrition and education. These children hail from challenging socio-economic backgrounds, yet their willpower and zeal to attend school and achieve their dreams defeats all the odds and hurdles. Your choice of contributing a donation on Diwali to The Akshaya Patra Foundation will make sure 1,802,517 children receive nutritious lunch on each school day. Akshaya Patra delivers freshly cooked, wholesome meals to 16,856 Government and Government-aided schools from its kitchens located in 51 locations of 12 States and 2 Union Territories of India.

When you ‘Gift a Meal’, you:
• Nourish children with the goodness of wholesome meals;
• Brighten up their lives with good health;
• Empower them with education; and
• Prepare them to be resourceful individuals in the near future.

How you can ‘Gift a Meal’
Let’s make Diwali 2019 a memorable one for ourselves and the children. Here are the many ways you can brighten up a child’s life with food and education:
• Add joy to a child’s life instantly by contributing Rs. 1,100 as donation on Diwali.
• Multiply the joy by conducting a fundraising campaign to benefit more children.
• Make your Diwali celebration bigger by sponsoring a school.

Share the joys of Diwali celebration with children for whom regular school meals are a ray of hope for a happier and prosperous future!

“A good teacher can inspire hope,
ignite the imagination,
and instil a love of learning.” – Brad Henry Love

As a token of respect, care, regards, affection, gratitude, and honour, Teacher’s Day is celebrated across India and world. We too believe that teachers are no less than an architect or a designer of our society as a whole. Teachers, gurus and mentors play a major role in shaping the young minds of the society. Akshaya Patra bows down to pay a heartfelt respect to those makers of the society, called – Teachers.

We bring you an example of a teacher who went against the wind in her life so that little school children can create their own success stories someday.

Age doesn’t matter with being an epitome of inspiration. Smt. G. Chandrakala, a teacher from Government Model Primary School, Jigani, Karnataka is one such example.

This middle-aged lady encourages her students in school to sharpen their skills, has elders in the village approaching her to solve issues, and has been navigating change in her own family too. But the actual course of change began with her— eighteen years back when she became a Teacher in a Government School.

Elders say, ‘Decisions Determine Destiny.’ These words proved to be true for Chandrakala Miss (as is lovingly referred to by students) and her family. Instead of keeping aside her certificates and cornering skills at an early age, she decided to pursue her studies further. Despite of economically challenged background, with her unparalleled will-power, she cracked through all the tests and finally joined the school.

“I knew I had to do well in academics and for that I was ready to sacrifice all the little happy moments of my growing up phase, extend my study hours leaving behind all the household chores including offering help to my mother. All these paid off when I see myself within the gates of the school every day, teaching children for their bright future,” says Chandrakala.

Chandrakala further mentions that most of the children coming to the school belong to an economically challenged background. They look forward to the support from Non-Government Organisation (NGO) like The Akshaya Patra Foundation. Being in the school, she has closely noticed the fact that mid-day meals tremendously enhance the enrolment rate of students. And the increasing number of students in the attendance register has been a testimony to this.

Share the most delightful moment with your favourite teacher in the comments section below. Relive your sweet childhood that still lasts in your memories and make you smile, even today!