Workshops on food safety, personal hygiene and quality for cook-cum-helpers of Mid-Day Meal Programme

After The Akshaya Patra Foundation conducted successful first and second phase trainings of the cook-cum-helpers of Mid-Day Meal Programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD), in March 2014 the third phase has commenced. To impart knowledge from the Akshaya Patra centralised kitchens and Akshaya Patra decentralised kitchens, this phase expects to cover about 900 cook-cum-helpers. The first two phases of imparting knowledge of Akshaya Patra Kitchens; over 1100 cook-cum-helpers were trained.


The third phase saw The Akshaya Patra Foundation training of 400 cook-cum-helpers of Mid-Day Meals Programme from Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. During the months of April and May learning of Akshaya Patra centralised kitchens and Akshaya Patra de centralised kitchens will be imparted through training in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

Training modules prepared, taking cues from Akshaya Patra Kitchens, has been further modified, by incorporating The Akshaya Patra Foundation learning from the first two phases. The modules are designed in easy understandable format using pictorial representations to encourage comprehensive learning among the participating cook-cum-helpers of Mid-Day Meal Programme. The participants will have an opportunity to internalise the various hygiene and food safety practices like that of in Akshaya Patra centralised kitchens and Akshaya Patra decentralised kitchens.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation has also developed training materials and a handbook with pictorial depictions on food safety, personal hygiene and quality practises, emphasising its importance to cook-cum-helpers of Mid-Day Meal Programme.

 A Ch Marak, Director of School Education and Literacy, Meghalaya appreciated the efforts of the organisation for its sincerity and commitment for making the training of the practices in Akshaya Patra centralised kitchens and Akshaya Patra de centralised kitchens, a success by imparting that knowledge to the participating cook-cum-helpers of Mid-Day Meals Programme.