Source: Moresha Benjamin / DNA

While education for the city’s underprivileged children is of utmost importance, it is equally exigent that they get regular, nutritious meals.

Recognising this, The Akshaya Patra Foundation (TAPF), a Bangalore-based NGO that operates the world’s largest privately run midday meal programme, is planning to set up a centralised kitchen in the city. It will cater to the city’s state-run schools, as well as to NGOs conducting child education programmes.

“What is the use of education when a child goes hungry and cannot concentrate in class?” saidMadhu Pandit Dasa, chairman of the NGO, which feeds more than a million children at 17 locations in seven states.

“I have come across families who have sold their children’s books so that they can buy a day’s meal,” he added.

The NGO is backed by leading IT firms such as Cisco and Mindtree, high-profile individuals and also common citizens. Sudha Murthy, wife of Infosys chairman Narayan Murthy, is one of the donors. Murthy said, “When I visited their Bangalore centre, I was pleased to see that the kitchen has really good hygienic standards. The cooks wear gloves, and cover their heads. The food is not only tasty but also nutritious.” She playfully added, “There have been times when I have visited them unannounced just so that I can enjoy a delicious meal.”

The NGO’s entry into the city has its share of hurdles. The foundation had been invited twice by the then-CM Vilasrao Deshmukh to set up a centre in Mumbai, but since it was then quite small, the project was not feasible. And now that it is ready, the present rules stipulate that such a programme can be initiated only by women welfare groups, and not by general NGOs. CP Das, TAPF’s vice president, said, “Why stop a good cause on grounds of gender? Are there no exceptions when the only purpose is betterment of humanity?”

The NGO also at the short end of Mumbai’s exorbitant property rates, as it needs a large centrally-located kitchen to reach out to all parts of the city.

Assam, a rich, vibrant state that is famous for its breath-taking scenic beauty, is known to be the Gateway to North East India. The state is charming with its unspoiled natural beauty, swarming with wildlife, tea gardens and warm, welcoming people.

Though rich in natural resources, Assam is also home to many natural disasters which lead to the displacement of large population time and again. And hence Assam also has a large population that is displaced and economically disadvantaged. Tens of thousands of children are unable to attend school, as priority given to surviving and earning for a square meal a day is greater than accessing education.

Recognising this, in 2009, Akshaya Patra was invited by the State Government of Assam, to implement the Mid Day Meal Scheme in Guwahati as a measure to reduce dropout rates, increase enrolment in schools and eliminate child labour in the state capital. Akshaya Patra embraced the invitation and immediately set up shop in Guwahati. However it was not an easy task. Provision for basic amenities such as drinking water, drainage facility and even electricity had to be made. Hence the setting up had to be made from scratch. A reverse osmosis plant was set up for drinking water, drainage facility was constructed and generators were installed for reliable electric supply. During February 2010, the kitchen was officially inaugurated and today Akshaya Patra serves over 53,000 children from 592 schools in Guwahati, Assam.

The kitchen at Guwahati is an ISO 22000:2005 certified centralised unit. Apart from catering to the schools, the unit has also participated in other developmental initiatives within the city. For example, 47,000 steel plates were distributed to Government school children in the recent past. During its initial days, Akshaya Patra had even provided 15 schools with bore-wells and toilets, in collaboration with Infinity Townships Pvt Ltd.

You could read case stories of the beneficiaries from Guwahati here.

Akshaya Patra has been working towards spreading its wings in the state of Assam and has been gifted with support from the State Government of Assam, by allotting land and giving subsidies. However the organisation needs continued support from philanthropic donors and well-wishers to gain momentum to reach more and more children in the state. Support us by donating online or contact us on the below address.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation
Village Numalijula, Mouza Sila,
Siduri Gopha, NH – 31
Amingaon, Guwahati – 781031 (Assam)