Baran– a remote corner of Rajasthan- where the people are denied of even the basic amenities of life, Akshaya Patra reaches out to 20,200 underprivileged children with the nutritious unlimited food through their decentralized kitchen. You must be wondering what this decentralized kitchen is.

Decentralized kitchens are those kitchens of Akshaya Patra where the operations are carried out manually involving the local population of the vicinity. Thus the Akshaya Patra not only feeds the children there but also provides employment opportunities to the women folk of that region.

They form a self help group of women who cooks the meal for their own children who goes to the school and in turn earn financial self sufficiency.

 What can be more tasty and nutritious than the food cooked by our mothers? 

Entusiastic volunteers who are part of the Information technology sector came together on a rainy Saturday to decode the internet for Akshaya Patra. Volunteers who attended ‘Code for a Cause’, an event which aimed to help non-profits get the best out of internet, walked into JAAGA in Bangalore around 11 am. After a few minutes of meeting and greeting, the event started off with Mr. Shridhar Venkat, the executive director of the Akshaya patra foundation addressing the volunteers. He spoke to them about how non-profits like Akshayapatra realize the importance of establishing a strong internet presence. Prarthana Unkaikar, who heads the i-volunteer centres spoke about the importance of dedicated volunteers in the charity scenario in India. She shared her experiences about interacting with various volunteers from across the country.

After giving them an initial picture about volunteering and the need for technology in the development sector, the volunteers were treated to the hot lunch served by Akshayapatra to millions of children every day. “You can also extend support virtually by voicing your opinion on your blogs”, said blogger Mohan.B.N, who addressed the volunteers post lunch. Incidentally, Mohan was also the winner of Akshaya Patra’s ‘Blog and Feed’ contest held early this year. “You should visit the kitchens to understand Akshaya Patra’s scale of work”, said Mohan while he recollected his visit to Akshaya Patra’s Jaipur kitchen which was the prize for writing the best blog entry. Mr. Jagdish Vashishta, the co-founder of Kinetic glue, narrated some interesting examples to stress upon the usage of social media by organizations. The volunteers were then divided into 2 teams and asked to discuss various strategies for improving Akshaya Patra’s presence. The teams got down to serious thinking and as a result, various new ideas started flowing. We hope to have more such events in the future and expect the participation of such enthusiastic volunteers.