#BlogToFeedAChild

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!

Do you remember the good old school days when you shared lunch with your friends? Well, The Akshaya Patra Foundation brings you an opportunity to feel the same joy sharing lunch with its recently launched #iShareMyLunch campaign. This campaign gives you and all of us a chance to share our lunch with a school child for one entire school year by contributing just Rs. 950.

S.S. Rajamouli, the famed Director of the award winning Indian film Baahubali has already supported #iShareMyLunch campaign by sharing his lunch with 2,500 children for an entire year.

School lunch is an important aspect of education. It positively impacts the health, concentration levels, and enthusiasm among children to actively participate in school activities. Studies have also indicated that school lunch has significantly increased school enrolment and reduced drop-out rate. School lunch also acts as an incentive for families from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds to send their children to school. More so, school meals instil confidence and determination among children that they will certainly be able to achieve their goals and dreams.

It’s time we all share our lunch with budding hearts. Click here to share your lunch! Akshaya Patra will use your contribution to provide nutritious, freshly cooked, tasty meals to school children for an entire year.

This World Hunger Day, here’s what we truly hope – win over hunger and all forms of hunger! As a NGO involved in providing mid-day meals to school children, we are not only targeting at eliminating classroom hunger, but we are aiming at enriching children with nutrition-rich meals – the only way to tackle hunger, hidden hunger, and malnutrition.

Facts and figures based on FAO, WFP, Global Hunger Index, Livemint, and The Wire

Childhood is a memoir of sweet recollections. It kindles in one, inestimable joy that lives forever in our hearts. It plays a pivotal role in an individual’s development and how they grow up as social beings. If there is something called a ‘complete’ childhood, then it should comprise of innocence, enjoyment and self exploration. But most of all, it should comprise of food in plenty, a school to study and friends to have a sense of belongingness. These serve as the perfect ingredients for a happy and much desired childhood!

Now the begged question, why food?

Firstly, because it keeps the child alive! Secondly, “hunger makes a thief of any man” and finally, it prevents them from attending school. Hunger forces them into labour, depriving them of education, their right as defined by The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).  Above all, it stands between them and their classrooms.

Second important question, why school?

School is children’s second home. It is their seat of education. Education builds a strong foundation in children’s lives. It helps break chains of poverty that is inextricably linked to their future, their empowerment, their economic growth.  Education offers them a ticket to their dreams which are as diverse as stars of the constellation.

Third, why sense of belongingness?

Belongingness because, it is a child’s inherent, intrinsic desire to belong. The child desires to be an element of something important, something fascinating, and larger than selves. That sense of belongingness comes from a friend that the school helps in finding. After all, what is childhood without the sweet bonds of friendship? It is impossible to fathom the joy children feel amidst their friends. For them, it is the perfect feeling to know that they have precisely the right person/people around to live their childhood. Be it lunch time or school itself, nothing is complete without that friend!

Why are we saying all this to you?

We say so, because we at Akshaya Patra believe in the maxim, ‘feed the children’. Why we believe so, because that is our only answer to the question, ‘how to end world hunger?’ Our wholesome, lip-smacking mid-day meals attract millions to their school doors. The very thought of a meal is enough motivation for our beneficiaries to attend school, receive education, cultivate friendship and say bye-bye to classroom hunger.

Hence, this World Hunger Day, let’s celebrate childhood through our meals. Let’s feed the children in need who have every right to a healthy childhood. Let’s all come together as a community and endeavour to find ways on how to end world hunger. We should do so with utmost priority because every hungry child must be fed and education should be accessible to every child. Hunger must not be a threat to childhood because only when there will be no hungry bellies, childhood will be complete and lessons will be read in unison!

The Conviction

Every child has a dream; each dream is valid – for their dreams, thoughts, and aspirations make these children what they are.

Giving Every Dream A Chance

In an effort to provide overall development for its beneficiaries, The Akshaya Patra Foundation launched ‘Giving Every Dream A Chance’ – an initiative to nurture the unique aspirations of children. It is the Foundation’s attempt to identify children with special dreams and give them the opportunity to realise their dreams by providing mentorship programmes wherein children will be coached, groomed, and guided by the experts of respective fields.

A Flashback

‘Giving Every Dream A Chance’ was launched on 11 June 2016 at the Vivanta by Taj, Bengaluru, by Chief Guest, Mrs. Sudha Murty – Chairperson, Infosys Foundation and a benevolent supporter of Akshaya Patra.

In Chapter 1 of the initiative, three beneficiaries: Shivu, Manjula, and Shekar were given necessary mentorship and training through professionals in the field of their choice.

• Shivu with the aim to become an astronaut received an in-depth insight and understanding of the celestial world under the guidance of Ms. Preethi Krishnamurthy, Senior Research Fellow in Astrophysics.
• Manjula, a budding actress, received a thorough professional training in theatre and acting at the Bangalore School of Speech and Drama under the guidance of Dr. Zulfia Shaikh.
• Shekar a chef in the making, got an opportunity to hone his culinary skills at The Taj Vivanta, Bengaluru under the guidance of Chef Ramasamy Selvarju.

The Present

The success and goodwill received for the initiative in Chapter 1 motivated Akshaya Patra to script Chapter 2.

In the year 2017, 300 children from 15 Government Schools in Bengaluru, Hubballi, Hyderabad, and Vrindavan were mentored in their respective field of interest. These children received training in various fields, with the support of professionals and specific academies such as:

• Sri Raksha Natya Kala Academy for classical dance
• Just for Kicks & Team were the coaches for football goals of children
• Art& Design Studio for origami
• Vivanta by Taj for culinary workshop
• Spektrum Dance Studio for freestyle
• High Heels for contemporary
• Mr. Mahesh, a professional theatre artist for a well-written play on cleanliness

On 14 April 2018, an event was organised to showcase the talents of the children at The Taj Vivanta, Yeswantpur, Bengaluru. The stage was enlivened by a variety of performances ranging from vocal and instrumental music, folk and contemporary dances, theatre acts, on-stage origami creations, and remarkable display of math talent. All the performances received reverberating applauses and praises from the guests and audiences. Aside from the performances of beneficiary children, the audience witnessed enthralling performances of Vaishnav Girish – participant of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs and Indian Idol Junior, and Anjana Padmanabhan – First Indian Idol Junior Winner.

The event came to a close with the launch of the mascot ‘Sunny’ and the two child characters ‘Bhoomi’ and ‘Akash’ representing “Swachh Vidyarthi, Swachh Vidyalaya, Swachh Gruha” – an initiative by Akshaya Patra to achieve Swachh Bharat.

Guests and Dignitaries

The ‘Giving Every Dream A Chance’ Event on 14 April 2018 at The Taj Vivanta was graced by select guests and dignitaries from various spheres of profession and talent.

Director of CBI, Special Director General CRPF Screenwriter was the Chief Guest for the evening.

– Padma Shri Honoree Shri D. R. Kaarthikeyan, Advisor- Law Human Rights – Corporate Affairs and         former Director General of National Human Rights Commission
– Mr. Roberto Narain – Head of Drumjam
– Mrs. Vasundhara Das – Singer, Actress, Composer, Lyricist, Entrepreneur and Environmental Activist
– Mrs. Mayuri Upadhya – Co-Founder and Director of Nritarutya Dance
– Arjun Halappa – Former Captain of the Indian Hockey Team.

The event was studded with prominent stars from the film and entertainment industry namely Suraj Gowda, Meghna Gaonkar, Dhananjay, Shruti Hariharan, Samyuktha Hegde, Vashista N Simha, Sonu Gowda, Ragini Dwivedi, Navdeep, Naveen, Arun Sagar, and Rajshri Ponnappa.

The event was presided by Shri Madhu Pandit Dasa – Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation in the presence of Shri Chanchalapati Dasa – Vice Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, and the Unit Presidents of Akshaya Patra kitchens from across the country.

Guests Speak

Rajshri Ponnappa – “I am really honoured to get this chance to be a part of this platform, this opportunity that they (Akshaya Patra) are giving these children. Everybody deserves to dream and every dream deserves a chance. And, I think everybody coming here to support this, is fantastic.”

Roberto Narain – “My very reason to be here is – it’s very easy to talk but very difficult to do. So, the more you give the kids to go out and do things, we get the change we need.” When asked to define Akshaya Patra in three words, Narain said, I would rather define it in one word, that is ‘Dream’, and that’s the future.”

Vasundhara Das – Opining that the song ‘Any dream will do” rightly fits the initiative, she added, “It doesn’t matter what the dream is, what matters is how you go about getting there. And, a chance to follow your dream is the most precious thing in the world.”

Mayuri Upadhya – It’s truly an honour to be associated and be a part of such an event, such a beautiful initiative. And, Akshaya Patra definitely is doing a fantastic job. I have seen the documentaries on Akshaya Patra’s process of working in The Great Kitchens series, and they are right from the grass root level. I think every child is so different, every child is gifted with a very different intelligence whether it’s with art or sports. And, what we should do as a society and as an initiative is to create the best and suitable environment for it to flourish and blossom. And, that is being held and Akshaya Patra has taken the forefront in it.” She also acknowledged and appreciated the efforts of the mentors in guiding and coaching the children.

Samyuktha Hegde – “After seeing all of them (children) today, I am really glad and happy that our country is growing towards the idea of not just becoming engineers and doctors, but everything else that a child wants to be. I am glad to be a part of this.”

Arun Sagar – “If there’s innocence, we are all children. This was a really good act. I really liked it. Children’s performance was superb. What’s truly exciting to me is, I learn more when I work with children. It feels like I’m with God. For the organisation that is involved in this initiative must provide opportunities to all the children and also encourage them.”

For the complete video of the event, follow us on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/akshayapatra

The Journey Will Continue…
Akshaya Patra is looking forward to scaling up this initiative to transform lives of 5000 beneficiary children in the year 2018-19.

We would love to hear from you, so please use the below comment section to share your thoughts and feedbacks.

Read more about the event at Giving Every Dream A Chance 2018.

The festival of lights brings joy to all our lives. It is a joyous celebration of victory of good over evil. It is the time for togetherness and bonding as we meet our near and dear ones.The festival of lights brings joy to all our lives. It is a joyous celebration of victory of good over evil. It is the time for togetherness and bonding as we meet our near and dear ones.

But how about adding more value to the festive celebrations this year? You can do that in many ways. Involving social cause in this year’s celebration is one of the many ways you can make it memorable.
Different ways to do it:

1. Sponsor a child: Diwali celebration need not be just a day’s affair. You can make the entire year special for yourself by sponsoring a child’s meal for one entire year. It takes just Rs 950. With this, one child in a Government or Government-aided school will receive a wholesome school lunch for one entire year. This will help them stay focused in school and aspire to reach heights.

2. Teach children the importance of sharing: We all have heard the saying ‘sharing is caring’. But these values must be inculcated in children during their childhood. This Diwali can be a great way of teaching your children the importance of sharing. Make online donation to an NGO and set examples for them. You can make online donation to Akshaya Patra too. You will also get the benefit of tax exemption under Section 80G of Income Tax Act.

3. Start an online fundraising campaign: This Diwali, you can start a fundraising campaign on our website. All you have to do is think of an innovative idea which will make your friends and family support you in the cause of feeding the children. Once the campaign goes live, share it on your social networking platforms with a powerful message. The money raised through this will be used to feed the children in Government and Government-aided schools across India.

About 39% of the total population in India constitute of children. They are the driving force behind the success of our nation. Let us, empower them to ensure that our nation is in safe hands. Be a part of our movement. Support us. Donate today.

Hemalatha watches her mother toil seven days a week to meet ends and that’s what inspires her to uplift vulnerable children on streets. She tells us that children do not need our sympathy, but empathy, which would transform their lives. She says, “I would like to tutor children living on the streets. To uplift them, education is an important factor.” The aspiring social worker makes us feel proud, as we learn more about her ambition. We met Hemalatha at Government Lower Primary School, Hosur Meenakunte. She is a 10-year-old girl studying in Std V. She hails from Andhra Pradesh; her parents moved to Karnataka in search of better job opportunities.

As she grows up, she aspires to educate children on the street. She knows that her situation is not much different from theirs but feels glad to be exposed to education. “Some of these children do not have the privileged of attending school. I want to empower them so that they are not left vulnerable.” At a young age, she understands how education has been benefitting her and the need for it to lead a respectable life.

The Lingering Pain

While talking to her, we noticed the girl to be a little hesitant to talk about her family. But later she told us that her family, which once consisted of four members, is now has only three. Her father – Mr Muniraj – succumbed to an accident when she was six years old and studying in Std I. Tears welled up in her eyes when she remembered her father; she was inconsolable then. The little girl hasn’t recovered from the trauma. She now lives with her mother and brother.

As her father was the only earning member of the family, her mother Savita had to take up all the responsibilities after his death. She works as a full-time house help. The meagre income she earns is not sufficient to support a family of three and she works on Sunday too, with a hope to earn some extra money. Her brother is also a student of Std VII in a Government school and benefits from the school lunch served by Akshaya Patra.

But all this doesn’t deter this ambitious child from having big aspirations for the betterment of society. There is yet another hurdle she has to overcome before she reaches her goal – the hurdle of being married once she turns 14. “My mother is planning to make me discontinue my studies after I turn 14 and get me married. She is concerned about my safety. If my father was alive, I would not have faced such a situation,” she tells us, as tears roll down her eyes.

Our heart melted and all we could see in her eyes was the hunger to achieve her ambition. She dreams of a bright future, but is worried that marriage would not allow her to achieve it.

A hard-working student

Hemalatha makes it a point to revise the lessons taught in school every evening. Though she doesn’t have anyone to guide her, she ensures that she approaches her teachers and clarifies doubts the next day. Apart from helping society, she also wants to help her mother, who works hard all day long. “My favourite subject is Science. I like to study all subjects, but I have a keen interest in learning Science. I ensure that I have understood the lessons well,” she says. Her favourite teacher is Regina Miss as she teaches Maths and English in a unique way, to ensure her students understand the concepts.

The nutritious morsel

As Hemalatha’s mother goes to work early in the morning, the siblings rely on a school lunch served by Akshaya Patra. “My mother is happy that we get a glass of milk in the morning and nutritious mid-day meals in the afternoon.”

For children like them, mid-day meals are the only wholesome meals they get to eat in the day. In fact, the meals also encourage them to attend school regularly and continue their studies. The nutritious meals give them the power to learn and dream high.

This makes it necessary for NGOs like Akshaya Patra to serve food regularly to these children to ensure that they take the country towards positive development.

Help the children like Hemalatha to achieve their dreams by supporting Akshaya Patra to feed the children.