Kashni Tiwary, a student of 11th standard from Jayshree Periwal International School in Jaipur, won the recently held writing competition organised in celebration of National Education Day for the Future Shapers Initiative by The Akshaya Patra Foundation. Her poem draws inspiration from Hamsa’s story, a student served by Akshaya Patra.

Read her heartfelt poem here:

In the depths of her darkest days,
Hamsa’s spirit never waned.
Lying on her bed of thorns,
in her heart, hope remained.

A daily battle against hunger,
a fight to find her way.
To a school that held her dreams,
where the Sun’s first rays would sway.

Her mattress, a cruel adversary,
her stomach often empty and sore.
But determination in her eyes,
she yearned to learn, to explore.

With strength much beyond her years,
she rose, resolved to shine.
To conquer the world’s challenges,
to make her future divine.

Then, a fateful encounter,
her aunt’s compassion found.
Led her to a doctor’s care,
where her healing journey began.

Malnourished, frail,
but not defeated, she would mend.
With nutrition’s grace,
her life’s path would ascend.

Today, Hamsa, a beacon of resilience and grace,
stands tall with dreams unfurled in her radiant face.
In her heart, she’s grateful for the meals at school,
For they transformed her life, made her strong and fuelled her soul.

She dreams of being a guardian,
a protector of the weak.
Inspired by a memory,
she’ll always hold dear and speak.

Her spirit, unbroken,
her ambitions take flight.
Hamsa, a symbol of hope,
a beacon of light.

So, let us learn from Hamsa’s journey,
her unwavering will.
To overcome the trials,
to seek knowledge, fulfil.

In the face of adversity,
her story is a guide,
A reminder that within us all,
strength and dreams reside.

In a world of abundance, it is disheartening to witness the persistence of hunger and malnutrition. The Zero Hunger Challenge calls for a collective effort to eliminate hunger, ensure food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

The challenge focuses on five key elements that are essential to achieving zero hunger: sustainable food production, improved access to food, zero loss or waste of food, ensuring adequate nutrition for all and building resilience to food-related crises.

Sustainable food production is a crucial aspect of the Zero Hunger Challenge. It involves promoting agricultural practices that are environmentally friendly, such as organic farming, crop rotation and agroforestry. By adopting sustainable practices, we can increase food production while minimising the negative impact on natural resources, such as land, water and biodiversity.

Improving access to food is another important goal of the Zero Hunger Challenge. This involves ensuring that everyone has physical and economic access to nutritious food at all times. It includes measures such as improving infrastructure for food storage and transportation, supporting small-scale farmers, empowering women in agriculture and promoting inclusive and equitable food systems.

Zero loss or waste of food is a critical element of the Zero Hunger Challenge. Currently, a significant amount of food is lost or wasted throughout the production and supply chain. By reducing food loss and waste, we can ensure that the available food resources are utilised efficiently.

Ensuring adequate nutrition for all is an essential part of the Zero Hunger Challenge. It involves addressing malnutrition in all its forms, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and overweight and obesity.

Building resilience to food-related crises is the final component of the Zero Hunger Challenge. This involves strengthening the capacity of communities and countries to withstand and recover from emergencies such as natural disasters, conflicts and economic shocks.

Conclusion

The Zero Hunger Challenge is a call to action to eradicate hunger, ensure food security and promote sustainable agriculture. By addressing the root causes of hunger, implementing innovative solutions and fostering collaboration, we can create a world where no one goes to bed hungry. The Zero Hunger Challenge requires collective efforts from governments, civil society, the private sector and individuals. Together, let us strive towards a future of nourishment, dignity and opportunity for all.

Created by:
Rohit Kumar
Nipun Tyagi
Anitha Shivamallaiah