Imagine how life was in school.
Every problem seemed little when you had your friends to share your joy and sadness.

A study found that friendships provide social support and companionship, which can significantly predict the well-being and protect against mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Friendship Day honours such relationships that are strong and unbreakable. It is celebrated across the globe on different days to encourage global bonding. In India, it is observed on the first Sunday of August. (In 2024, it will be celebrated in India this year on 4th August.) This is the day when one can see teenagers and children tying threads and bands to each other, as a mark of celebrating the promise of long-lasting friendship.

Friendship Day is a day celebrated to uphold this special bond. Why? Because friends have a special place in our lives.

Friendships mature according to our age; but as children, it is all about sharing likes or dislikes and being with each other.

83% of children regularly spend time with close friends in schools.

Schools are a place where friends support you and help make the right choice and decision, no matter what.

Here is a story of how friendship supports Purvi Vadapudi, a 12-year-old studying in 6th standard from The the Government Higher Primary School (G.H.P.S) Ramalingeshwara Nagar, Hubballi, Karnataka.

Purvi is adored by everyone, owing to her helpful nature and positive attitude towards situations. Pavitra Subhash, one of Purvi’s classmates, says, “Although she is our friend, it feels that we are more like sisters. She is there for us and helps us whenever we need it. She habitually corrects me whenever I make a mistake while studying and revising. Even though she is a topper in class and great in academics, she is very humble.”

Having such friends gives many reasons to be happy and the joy is shared when they connect over mid-day meals served in school. This Friendship Day, celebrate friendships that have helped you surpass difficult times and donate in the hope that many such friendships surface through the medium of food.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an NGO that feeds mid-day meals to children studying in government and government-aided schools. When you celebrate for a cause and donate online, you become the bridge forprovide children an avenue to socialise and make friends while they savour their daily school meals.

Tie a virtual friendship band with your support. Spread the joy of meals this Friendship Day!
Celebrate with Akshaya Patra.

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.