Akshaya Patra – An NGO in India serving food for education!

When we hold a flipped coin within our palms, we can see only one side of the coin. And the visible side decides the winner of the toss. Similarly, when we look around us, we only see one side of India and conveniently ignore the other. But it’s about time we take a look on both the sides because that’s where the real solution for a progressed and developed nation is hidden!

Considered as the world’s largest democracy, today India is a rising economy and an emerging power. It has achieved several global laurels in almost all areas of sports, business, technology, and talent. At the same time, it is also struggling to keep up with indicators to ensure accessibility of food, health, and education for all. In a scenario like this, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO in India is relentlessly striving each day to counter ill health and illiteracy with wholesome food.

Food for education

It is not an unknown occurrence that when hunger strikes even the fittest person fails to deliver his share of work. So, the question is, can we expect children to learn and perform in empty stomachs? This is where Akshaya Patra’s role become significant as it provides food for education. A large section of children in India has to constantly make a choice between work and school because hunger plays the spoiler. These children have aspirations alike any other children who are privileged to attend school without a second thought; but what amongst the former is lack of basic amenities. For such children, a free meal initiates their steps towards school.

As an NGO in India for children, Akshaya Patra is cognisant of the crucial role school meals play in schooling of children from challenging backgrounds. This meal not only fills up their stomachs but also nurtures their young minds with determination, confidence, and hope. By attending school regularly, children become ever more certain that their aspirations are achievable and that a much better and brighter future lies ahead of them. These meals support health and education of children empowering them to be resourceful and self-dependent citizens of the country.

It was in 2000 when Akshaya Patra first served food for education for 1,500 children in five schools of Bengaluru; and since then there has been no looking back. With strategic planning, operational efficiency, hygiene and cleanliness standards, and sustainable expansion, this NGO in India currently provides school meals to 17,65,597 children each school day in 12 states.

Read More : https://www.akshayapatra.org/about-us

When you step in, wonders happen!

Charity is always appreciated and when it is about providing something as basic as food to a child, it becomes dearer. When you sponsor a child, you uphold their childhood; you convey to them, ‘there’s someone who cares’. Unless we take care of children right from the grass root level, it is impossible to achieve the status of a developed nation. Quoting Mother Teresa here, she said, “If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Thus, if each one of us sponsor a child, then it is indeed possible to create a New India with an universal side – healthy, educated, and prosperous!

Akshaya Patra’s work in Assam and Andhra Pradesh

The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a non-profit organisation in India has been supporting education by providing nutritious and tasty school lunch to children of Government schools and Government-aided schools since its establishment in 2000.

Akshaya Patra is one of the oldest implementors of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. Initially, it provided food to children of just five schools in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Today, it is operational across India. Akshaya Patra has received ICAI Gold Shield Award for excellence in financial reporting for consecutively seven years and has been inducted to ICAI’s Hall of Fame. It is the only NGO in the 70 years history of ICAI to have won this distinction.

Akshaya Patra operates centralised kitchens in 43 locations and decentralised kitchens in two locations. It has a well-managed logistics with dedicated fleet of customised meal delivery vehicles for each location. In order to ensure children consume their meals readily and happily, this non-profit organisation has designed location-specific menus by keeping intact the recommended nutritional levels. The menu is also cyclical in nature so that each day children receive different items as part of their school meal.

Below is a quick overview of Akshaya Patra’s service in Assam and Andhra Pradesh.

What do beneficiaries say?

The mid-day meals act as an incentive for parents to send their children to school and it adds hope in lakhs of children that their ambitions and dreams are achievable. As an NGO in Assam, this is how Akshaya Patra upkeeps the right to nutrition and education:

·         “Mid-day meals are very important. The mid-day meal served in the school is a relief for the family. At home, it’s mostly rice, dal or pitha (a type of local bread made of rice flour). Vegetables or lentils are not on the family’s menu every day. I enjoy my school lunch especially on Wednesdays and Saturdays when we get kheer, khichdi, and vegetable pulao - a delicacy which is rarely cooked at home.” Mrinmay Malakar.

·         Parvati hails from a challenging background and has the complete support of her mother with regards to her education. She aspires to be a Police Officer. Parvati’s mother opines that education will help her daughter succeed in life and also aid in leading a better life than the current one. The fact that Parvati gets mid-day meal at school comes by as a great relief for the mother.

As an NGO in Andhra Pradesh, this is how Akshaya Patra nurtures dreams:

·         P. Narsimha Raju says, “If I concentrate on one particular sport, I will excel in that sport only. But, if I concentrate on different sports and education, it will help me become a teacher and produce good sportsmen for our school and the country.”

·         Y. Lalita says, “Due to corruption, people who are in need of the several government schemes are not able to avail the benefits. I want to become a District Collector and make my state corruption-free and ensure that people get the benefits of various schemes.”

You can do wonders with just Rs. 1,100!

Yes, with just Rs. 1,100, you can transform the lives of lakhs of children across India. Your generous contribution to Akshaya Patra, one of the pioneer mid-day meal non-profitorganisation in India will nourish, nurture and empower children into resourceful and responsible citizens. Support Akshaya Patra. Support Indian children.

Why should you associate with The Akshaya Patra Foundation?

Alone, we can start a change, together we can sustain it! THAT’S THE POWER OF WORKING TOGETHER.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an Indian non-profit organisation supporting education of children by providing them with nutritious meals on each school day. It is one of the pioneer NGOs in the mid-day meal sector with a history of more than 18 years in service of children. 

What else does Akshaya Patra do?

Aside from diligently implementing the school meal programme, this charity for children is also engaged in other feeding initiatives and ‘Beyond the Meals’ programmes.

How can you help?

With the vision, ‘No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger’, Akshaya Patra aims at benefitting 5 million children by 2025. To achieve this humongous endeavour, this Indian non-profit organisation requires support from all sections of the society. It encourages people and organisations to step forward in support of nutrition and education of children. For this, the Foundation provides an elaborate volunteering platform where you can choose the way you want to support.  

You can choose to volunteer your time, be an online ambassador, be a knowledge partner, or you could also be the Foundation’s ambassador. You can also associate with this charity for children as a regular donor or you could also start an online fundraising campaign. As a supporter, you can also choose to sponsor a school, kitchen, or kitchen equipment or choose to fund any of the ‘Beyond the Meals’ programme. 

Margaret Mead has aptly said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” Well then, what’s the wait? Step forward and get your family and friends along to volunteer for those children who are in need today but on whom the country will be dependent tomorrow!

Be a fundraiser for The Akshaya Patra Foundation

Alone, you may not be able to support 100 children but with a group of like-minded people backing your thought, it is possible to provide all the necessary help for the 100 children; and may be more. THAT’S THE POWER OF FUNDRAISING!

Charities across the globe encourage supporters to conduct fundraising events, solely because of the impact it can create for a cause. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a non-governmental organisation supporting education of children in India by providing them with nutritious school meals every day. Akshaya Patra is one of the pioneer NGOs in the mid-day meal sector. In partnership with Ministry of Human Resource, Government of India and various State Governments, the Foundation has been providing wholesome school meals to school children since 2000. Presently, it feeds more than 17.6-lakh children across 12 states on India. 

Aside from the core Mid-Day Meal Programme, this charity works to provide holistic development of its beneficiaries through its child-centric initiatives. 

Anganwadi Feeding Programme	With this initiative, Akshaya Patra focusses on nourishing children in the age group of 3 to 6 years, pregnant women, and lactating mothers by providing nutrition-rich meals in Anganwadi centres.
Giving Every Dream a Chance	This initiative focusses on honing talents of beneficiaries by providing them mentorship in various fields such as sports, culinary, art and music, theatre, science, etc.
Scholarship Programme	This programme supports higher studies of meritorious beneficiaries by providing them scholarships. This enables children to complete necessary education to achieve their aspirations.
Model Schools	With the aim to provide better schooling experience, this initiative focusses on revamping school infrastructure and available amenities.
Disaster Relief Programme	At times of need, Akshaya Patra steps up to provide relief to affected people of natural disasters. So far, Akshaya Patra has promptly responded to Gujarat Cyclone, Odisha Cyclone, Kerala Flood, Kodagu Flood, Gorakhpur Flood, Chennai Flood, Gujarat Flood, and Nepal Earthquake.

Alike any other NGO, Akshaya Patra too welcomes fundraising ideas and campaigns in support of its core cause and subsidiary programmes. When you fundraise for this non-governmental organisation, you directly impact lives of children who hail from challenging socio-economic backgrounds. Your support will provide daily nutritious meals to school-going children, ensure their regular schooling, provide a platform to nurture their talents, and support shape the into confident and resourceful citizens. It will give them the hope that a better life is ahead of them. Click here to view all active fundraising campaigns. 

Leverage the power of your social network to benefit children of India! FUNDRAISE NOW!