Akshaya Patra Foundation- NGO in India for children

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a Bangalore based NGO in India that was started in 2000. Its vision is that “no child in India shall be deprived of education due to hunger”. It is indeed a thought evoking vision because it directly addresses the issues of hunger and illiteracy at the grass root level. Since inception the Foundation is tirelessly working towards achieving its vision.

In the year gone by the Foundation celebrated the noteworthy feat of serving the billionth meal since inception. It was a great source of motivation towards the aim of feeding 5 million children in India by 2020.

The Foundation believes in providing unlimited food for education. Even though the primary area of work of this Foundation is providing mid-day meal, it is also a NGO in India for education. The reason behind it is the importance it gives to education of children. In fact apart from providing mid-day meal to the children studying in Government schools and Government-aided schools, the Foundation also has other initiatives like Vidya Akshaya Patra and Akshaya Life Skills Programme.

Vidya Akshaya Patra scheme is like an after-school tutorial where students who score less than 35% marks are given guidance and training. Through Akshaya Life Skills children are equipped with various developmental training like self awareness, interpersonal skills, creative and critical thinking, communication and dealing with different situations that children encounter.

Akshaya Patra can be considered as children NGO in India as most of its activities revolve around child development. Through its mid-day meal programme the Foundation is aiming at countering two critical issues of hunger and illiteracy by providing food and education during the formative years of the children of India. Apart from these initiatives it also has Akshaya Anant Scholarship Programme to help children that helps children with funds for higher studies. The main motive behind it is if the children of today are healthy and educated then it is certain that it will lead to a prosperous and bright future.

It is true that there are many NGO in India for children, and Akshaya Patra is one of them too. But the difference lies in the fact by 2030 it does not want to exist in future. As spoken by the founding member of Akshaya Patra, Mohan Das Pai on the occasion of celebrating the billionth meal, “this organization is the only one of its kind that does not want to exist in future because it envisions a future that does not require it.” These words not only instill inspiration but also reinstate the mission in a more profound manner.

Akshaya Patra has strategically grown over 12 years. It is currently operating in 19 locations across 9 Indian states. As an NGO in India, It looks forward to reach out to more and more location so that it can provide at least one nutritious meal to children of India and thereby keep their hope for a brighter future intact.

Akshaya Patra Foundation Mid Day Meal Bringing Children Back to School

Mid-Day Meal Scheme is an initiative of Government of India to tackle childhood hunger. Under this Scheme, free lunch is provided to children of Government schools. The Akshaya Patra Foundation under the aegis of the Central and State Government runs its mid-day meal programme in 19 locations across 9 states of India. Currently the Foundation is serving 1.3 million children across India and it aims to feed 5 million children by 2020. 

The mid-day meal programme has many positive impacts. Studies show that this programme has increased school enrolment rate, countered classroom hunger paving way for better concentration and learning, and decreased drop-out rate. Mid-day meal has also helped in bringing the drop-outs back to school. Here are the anecdotes of three children that testify the potential of mid-day meal in bringing drop-outs back to classroom. Their teacher says, “Apart from our efforts to bring them back to school, the mid-day meal provided by Akshaya Patra has played a vital role in bringing these children back to school. When parents send their children to school they have one hungry stomach less to feed. Without the mid-day meal programme, these children could not have realized their potential.”

Rajeshwari’s comes from a humble background. Her father owns a meat stall and mother runs a small dosa stall to earn for the family. She introduces herself as Raji. Raji dropped out of school because she had to take care of her younger siblings. She was then studying in Grade 1. With innocence she says “I used to tender change at the cash counter.” Just a few months ago Raji got back to regular schooling and now she is a Grade 4 student. 

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Ashok and Uday have similar stories too. At an age when they both needed parental care and affection, they had to play the caretakers role. Ashok went to his sister’s house to take care of his niece. Uday, on the other hand lost his mother at an early age and hence was forced to quit schooling and play the role of a care taker. But the relief lies in the fact that today both of then are back to school.  Being a good athlete Ashok has brought many laurels for the school and Uday is brilliant in his academics and is a top scorer in his class.

Parents of these children and many such children are relieved that their children will at least get one wholesome meal in the school. Stories like these are the factors that motivate Akshaya Patra to tirelessly increase their reach out to more locations to feed the children in  India. Help Akshaya Patra spread its mid-day meal programme to reach out to more and more children. Donate towards a noble cause. Your donation will be a gift to many children, for they will get back their school life. 

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Akshaya Patra Feed the Children in Jaipur through Mid Day Meal Scheme

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Salman is seated on a woven cloth mat along with his 30 other classmates, the four-year-old eagerly waits for his teacher’s approval to begin the lunch.

It’s only when all the children have washed their hands and are seated comfortably, the teacher gives her approval to begin the prayer thanking almighty for the goodness of the day.

This prayer for Salman means more, it means he can have his tasty hot dal with rotis. He gobbles up the roti and asks for his second in a few minutes and then his third.

Nazia Tazeem, who is the school in-charge at the Rehmani Model Senior Secondary School, run in a mosque at the heart of the Jaipur city, says,”It is only from the last three years that our children are receiving the mid-day meal. Most of the parents are artisans, shoe makers and daily wage labourers, hence the health of the children was a major concern.

Today the mid day meal in the school has a positive impact on the children’s health and has also brought about the much required change.”  She later explains that most parents send children to the school primarily because they know that their children will get at least one nutritious meal enough to keep their hunger away till dinner time. The children studying the secondary school help their parents in their respective vocations after they head back from the school, and the mid-day meal plays all the more important roles in their lives.

The mid-day meal has been able to encourage parents to send even their girls children to school. The report cards and the school report show that mostly girls are among the toppers in their class.  The mid-day meal has helped the school in increasing attendance and enrollment among girls.

The Director says,”The mid-day meal has brought about a tremendous change in the drop out rate – it is less than 1%. In the primary school the increase in attendance is nearly as high as 70%-80%.” The numerous awards that now decorate the school office are a testimony to the children’s growth.

The school which started with just 50 students has now scaled up to 1500 students.  Good attendance is a boost to school which has made it also better in the quality of education that is now delivered - Montessori education for the pre-school and computer education for the primary and secondary school… shares the director.

The significance of nutritious meal highlighted by The Akshaya Patra Foundation has translated into the school authorities educating the parents on nutrition. But because they do not have the required financial resources, it’s seldom that they can meet the demands. It’s that time they truly are thankful for the mid-day meal that the children get in school that the Akshaya Patra feeds over 6,000 children in 30 madrassas in the city.

World Hunger Day - April 28 2012 "A Day To Commemorate Hunger"

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