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.
- 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. - 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.
