Just a few minutes remained for lunch break but Santosh could wait no longer. There are hardly any words to describe the eagerness in the 7th standard student’s eyes as he looked out of the window, waiting for his lesson to be over. As the clock struck noon, Santosh along with his friends, ran into the dining area, ready for piping hot food. It was their favorite Akshaya Patra’s rice and sambhar today.

Like thousands of children across India, Santosh works in the evening at a construction site for a mere pittance. Having lost his mother at a young age, he lives with his uncle, who also works as a mason at the same site. Because he lives with his guardians, he cannot say no when asked to go to work, but fortunately for him, his uncle and aunt do not force him. Santosh wants to become a police officer. He says “I will study whatever it may take to become one.”

Manjunath, his friend, has a similar story to tell. His father, also a construction worker, puts constant pressure on him to go to work. But, the little boy’s aspiration to become an Engineer spurs him on to finish his education.

However, children like Santosh and Manjunath have many challenges to face: their circumstances may force them to drop out of the education system long before they can hope to make their dreams come true. Nearly 13.5 million underprivileged children in India like Manjunath and Santosh are out of school and into child labour in order to earn a single meal in a day.

What Akshaya Patra aims to do is give such children the boost they need to make the most of their lives. By providing freshly cooked mid-day meals to poor children, Akshaya Patra is helping them in the most effective way: it is providing them with a healthy balanced meal, so they have the energy to pursue their dreams.

Akshaya Patra’s food for education school meal program addresses two major problems facing India’s poor children: lack of food and lack of education.
The mid-day meal provided by the Foundation on all school days acts not only nourishes them, but also acts as an incentive to bring them back to school.

We hope that with continued effort, children like Santosh and Manjunath, will not have to give up their dreams just to be able to earn a meal.

When Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Board examination paper pattern for 10th standard for 2009-10 has been reviewed, with the ratio of marks for descriptive type questions and multiple choice questions, parents and teachers of those students studying in govt. schools across the state was anxious, let alone students on how they will cope with the new pattern. However for Gururaj kulkarni studying in GJC govt. school in peenya, Bangalore, there was no such fear because Gururaj has already undergone training in Akshaya Life skills programme in his school which was initiated by Akshaya Patra with the support of public instruction department and Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagare Palike ( BBMP) in which he learned how to face the examinations more confidently, When the SSLC results were out, Gururaj made his school proud by scoring 92.48% marks.

The program equips students with skills,values and attitudes to face the challenges and demands of everyday life. Besides the programme is also planned on the basis of WHO recommendations of 10 life skills. He attribute the success to the Akshaya Life skill programme “I am thankful for the school authorities to consider Akshaya Life skills programme, the learning’s from the programme has been so crucial, that it made all the difference to me as well as my results” Gururaj who now enrolled in a science stream wanted to pursue Mechanical engineering at IIT.

It is not just Gururaj alone who has benefited from life skills programme, Misba, from Maharani Girl’s school from Mysore showers praise and is elated with getting 548 marks. “Akshaya life skills have changed my life” remarked Misba.

This year over 160 students of class X in Akshaya Life skills (ALS ) schools have scored more than 80 percent in the SSLC exams. In the last academic year, only four students of ALS schools had achieved distinction, whereas this year there has been a sweeping increase of 34 students from ALS schools who scored distinction.

By observing the statistical data of past SSLC passed-out children, comparatively this year overall Board results has decreased to 6.66% from 2009 to 2010. Whereas, the pass-out of SSLC exam, Akshaya Life Skills school children in the year 2008 – 09 to 2009 – 10 has increased to 1.46%.

40.000 students across the state of Karnataka have been benefitted from the Akshaya Life skills programme.The program has also extended its support to a few orphanage and special homes in the state.

Kanakeshwari a teacher from Mysore govt. school who has been a strong advocate for such life skills programme in government schools feels, while academic learning is important, the motivational parameters play a very crucial role in bringing-out the best amongst these socially less privileged children. She says “It could be considered as the study skills programme conducted is one of the factors which motivated the children to upgrade their results”

The Importance of learning life skills in schools is often over looked by the government says sultan, MD of Edu media who conducts the Akshaya Life skills. Why it becomes crucial is because, life skills-based education is being adopted as a means to empower young people in challenging situations. Sultan further adds Life skills should and need to be taught in a child’s life for him or her to become a well-formed educated individual. He further states that “children learn the academics in school and the life skill helps them to apply what they have learned to their everyday life”.

Recognizing the critical importance of these skills, 164 nations committed to Education For all have included life skills as an essential learning outcome for all adolescents and young people. Today, life skills education is offered as part of the formal school curriculum in at least 70 developing countries.

The life skill model is based on WHO recommendations of 10 Life skills. Sessions are facilitated through interactive games, real life examples, role play, theatre, debate and discussions. Several pertinent issues like drugs, alcoholism. The program also helps children understand their inner potentials claims the felicitators.

Though the government spent crores of rupees in the field of education in India, on the ground this has not had the desired impact among students alleges sultan.

With the success of Akshaya Life skills having a visible impact, Shoba Karandlaje, former minister and present MLA from Yeshwanthapura constituency in Bangalore has come forward to implement the Akshaya Life skills programme in all the government schools in her constituency. She is also personally funding the same. She says the students studying in government schools have the wrong notion of feeling inferior to someone studying in a private school. “There are times when even teachers have a similar opinion about themselves.” “Programmes such as these reinforce confidence among students and help them to remain focused. It also helps in their holistic development and makes them responsible citizens”