International Literacy Day is observed on 8 September every year. It presents a platform for various Governments, societies and stakeholders to advocate for and highlight improvements in literacy rates, internationally. It also reflects on the prevailing literacy challenges. UN’s Sustainable Development Goals also include the concern of literacy. Sustainable Development Goal 4 talks about ensuring that all young people achieve access to education and numeracy and those adults who lack these skills are given the opportunity to acquire them.

Theme of 2019: Literacy and Multilingualism

“Our world is rich and diverse with about 7,000 living languages. These languages are instruments for communication, engagement in lifelong learning, and participation in society and the world of work. They are also closely linked with distinctive identities, cultures, worldviews, and knowledge systems. Embracing linguistic diversity in education and literacy development is therefore a key part of developing inclusive societies that respect “diversity” and “difference,” upholding human dignity.” – Audrey Azoulay, Director General, Message on the occasion of the International Literacy Day
Source: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/literacyday

The focus of International Literacy Day 2019 revolves around ‘Literacy and Multilingualism.’ Regardless of progress made, literacy challenges continue, spread unevenly through different countries and its population. Considering linguistic diversity in education, literacy improvement is essential to address these literacy challenges.

By implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, The Akshaya Patra Foundation (a Non-Profit Organization, headquartered in Bengaluru) works diligently to make sure that children receive their daily school meals thereby supporting their schooling and ambitions. By providing nutritious mid-day meals, Akshaya Patra addresses their need for nutrition and education. Irrespective of the cultural and linguistic diversity, by implementing this programme, Akshaya Patra has witnessed children achieving success by being young gymnasts, runners, police officers, doctors, professors, chefs, dancers and much more. Hence, we feel ‘food for education’ promotes the power of literacy. Join us.

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

Sponsor a child
By sponsoring a child at Akshaya Patra (a charity in India) you help the child to get an access to education and healthy mid-day meals on all school days. On this International Literacy Day, we encourage you to support our cause and help us to increase our impact across India.

Volunteer
Register yourself as an online fundraising volunteer. Every amount raised will go to provide the much-needed mid-day meals to the schoolchildren. Donate online.

Share on Social Media
Be a social media ambassador for Akshaya Patra on various social media platforms. In this digitally connected era, all of us spend some time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms. Why not dedicate some time for a noble cause?

• Tweet and re-tweet about Akshaya Patra for #InternationalLiteracyDay
• Follow us on Facebook
• Engage with us on Instagram

As many as 4,157 villages across 30 districts of total 33 districts in the state have been submerged. Approximately, 43-lakh people have been affected by the nature’s fury along with inundating 95% of Kaziranga National Park. (NDTV, 16 July 2019).

The Assam Government issued a red alert on 15 July 2019 as the flood situation turned extremely critical with water level rising every hour. This merciless flood has severely affected people, wildlife, infrastructure, and livelihood of the entire state. In this crisis situation, the people of Assam are seeking for your help.

Akshaya Patra’s relief service has begun
The Akshaya Patra Foundation has stepped in to provide food to affected people in Assam from its kitchen in Guwahati. To begin with, the Foundation will provide meals twice a day to approximately 700 people staying in a relief camp in Athgaon area of Kamrup district.

Location of relief work: Athgaon (Kamrup District)
Relief work updates: Akshaya Patra began serving cooked meals from 17 July 2019.
Number of meals served so far: 52,880 meals
Day-wise feeding:
17th July: 1,700 meals (1,000 lunch & 700 dinner)
18th July: 1,200 meals (700 lunch & 500 dinner)
19th July: 2,900 meals (1,500 lunch & 1,400 dinner)
20th July: 3,200 meals (1,300 lunch & 1,900 dinner)
21st July: 2,900 meals (1,900 lunch & 1,000 dinner)
22nd July: 3,200 meals (1,900 lunch & 1,300 dinner)
23rd July: 3,600 meals (1,700 lunch & 1,800 dinner)
24th July: 3,500 meals (1,750 lunch & 1,750 dinner)
25th July: 5,040 meals (2,000 lunch & 3,040 dinner)
26th July: 6,280 meals (3,040 lunch & 3,240 dinner
27th July: 5,930 meals (3,240 lunch & 2,690 dinner)
28th July: 5,500 meals (2,750 lunch & 2,750 dinner)
29th July: 4,580 meals (2,520 lunch & 2,060 dinner)
30th July: 1,150 meals (690 lunch & 460 dinner)
31st July: 760 meals (450 lunch & 310 dinner)
1st August: 460 meals (460 lunch)
2nd August: 490 meals (490 lunch)
3rd August: 490 meals (490 lunch)

Type of meals served: Rice, vegetable pulao, kabuli chana, and mixed vegetable dal for lunch;and khichdi and labra sabji for dinner.

Period of relief work: 17 July 2019 to 3 August 2019.

Few shots from the ground

Food being transported to flood-affected area.

Akshaya Patra’s Proactiveness During Natural Disasters
Whenever a place is hit by natural disasters like flood or earthquake – within the country or across the borders, Akshaya Patra is always present to provide relief to the affected-people by providing food. Here is a quick overview of Akshaya Patra’s past relief activities:

Odisha Cyclone Relief
Activity period: 15 May 2019 to 6 June 2019
Location of relief work: Brahmagiri, Satar, Kanas, Gok, and Satyabadi
Total meals served: 1,00,000

Kerala Flood Relief
Activity Period: 13 August 2018 to 30 September 2018
Total Meals Served: More than 1 lakh

Chennai Flood Relief
Activity Period: 8 December 2015 to 25 December 2015
Total Rice-based Meals Served: 2,12,000

Gorakhpur Flood Relief
Activity Period: 25 August 2017 to 8 September 2017
Total Rice-based Meals Served: 84,200
Total Theplas Served: 1,92,000

Nepal Earthquake Relief
Akshaya Patra airlifted 1,00,000 meals to earthquake hit Nepal in April 2015. It also established a centralized kitchen in June 2015 to support the affected people of the region. The Earthquake Relief Centralised Kitchen Project was a joint initiative undertaken by Akshaya Patra, Jamsetji Tata Trust, and Sipradian Sahayata Sanstha. The kitchen served 1.4 million meals to the affected people for 88 days.

Gujarat Flood Relief
Activity Period: 25 July 2017 to 30 July 2017
Total Theplas Served: 4,00,000
Areas Covered: Banaskantha District (North Gujarat), Kalol, and Ahmedabad regions.