How to become a volunteer for Non-Government Organization (NGO) in India?

Act to bring the change you desire to see.

we must have heard this phrase many a times almost making it clichéd, yet the significance of its connotation remains unchanged. Many of us must be involved with some or the other social cause and taking tangible actions to bring about a change. Donors, supporters, and volunteers form a strong support system for all NGOs irrespective of their size and their range of operations. Hence, all charitable and non-governmental organisations, be it local, national, or global, provide a wide platform for people to offer their services to their respective causes. Here we will touch upon the aspect of volunteer opportunities in NGOs.

Remarkable role of volunteers

How we want to help an NGO is totally a personal choice,
but what makes the difference is are we doing it selflessly!

Keeping focus on India, we are one among the top countries having approximately 31-lakh NGOs operating for different causes. These NGOs are working relentlessly to bring about a sustainable change across all aspects of the community – people, animals, environment, economy, and more. Each NGO in India, whether it is operating locally or across the country’s topography require the involvement of the citizens in capacity of financial help, knowledge-sharing partners, ambassadors, and volunteers.

Volunteers are one of the most prized possession of NGOs. They are groups of selfless supporters who get involved with the functions of an NGO without expectation of any personal benefit. They are the ‘real examples’ of giving back to society. They selflessly volunteer their time, resource, and skills to benefit others. Volunteers are that asset any and all NGOs strive to build by providing ample volunteer opportunities. Volunteers get involved with spreading awareness about a particular cause, provide on ground support, assist in functions of the organisations based on their skills and expertise. In fact, there are innumerable NGOs across the globe that are completely managed by volunteers. The commitment and sincerity of volunteers have always remained unmatched and will always remain so.

How to become an NGO volunteer?

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time;
they just have the heart.” – Elizabeth Andrew

It is a good feeling and a good trait to be a contributing member of the society. Enrolling as an NGO volunteer will give you numerous opportunities to serve the country in particular and the world at large. All you need to do is:

•       Choose a cause you feel for, the most. It could be anything from human rights to environmental causes, women, children, health, education, animal protection, and the like.
•    Select the NGO you would like to work with.
•   Contact the NGO describing your interest to be an NGO volunteer.
•    Depending on the communication sent by your selected NGO in India, you can begin your volunteer work with them.

Volunteer opportunities in Akshaya Patra

Empower children of India with health, education, and talent

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an Indian mid-day meal NGO established in 2000. This NGO has been supporting education of children across India by providing them with nutritious school lunch every day. This meal has proved to be a potential intervention in helping children from socio-economically challenging backgrounds to continue their schooling and walk towards their goals.

Presently, Akshaya Patra is providing regular school meals to 1,765,436 children studying in 16, 785 Government schools and Government-aided schools. The Foundation has its operations in 49 locations of 12 States and 1 Union Territory. This NGOin India encourages and welcomes volunteers, be it individuals, student groups or groups, institutions, businesses, and corporates. The support Akshaya Patra has received from volunteers has immensely benefitted millions of children across the country.

Conclusion

We all have something to give – money, skill, knowledge, or may be just time; and this makes all of us rich in our own ways.

BE A VOLUNTEER.
Be the one to spread love, joy, and hope!

Feeding initiatives implemented by Akshaya Patra in India

Food first, everything else comes later! We all will agree to this.

Food is the basic necessity of any living thing, and so is true for humans too! We all have experienced hunger at some point or the other. We have also experienced the repercussions of staying hungry – low energy, tiredness, inability to concentrate or focus, unproductive, and health issues such as headache, gastric, acidity and so on. And these are the conditions we may undergo for missing out may be a meal or two. Then, imagine those who go hungry every single day! Yes, hunger is a much bigger problem than we can comprehend.

The cause of hunger varies ranging from socio-economic backgrounds to natural or man-made disasters. To tackle this situation, world organisations, governments of countries, and non-governmental organisations have intervened at various levels. Yet, hunger remains a persistent problem. Amidst all the strides made around the world, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a non-governmental organisation in India is also making efforts to combat hunger among children and disaster-hit survivors.

Akshaya Patra implements the Mid-Day Meal Programme in partnership with the Government of India. Established in 2000, it is one of the oldest mid-day meal NGOs in the country. Through this programme, Akshaya Patra provides free school lunch to children studying in Government schools and Government-aided schools. Presently, the NGO feeds 1,765,436 children in 16,785 schools situated in 49 locations of 12 States and 1 Union Territory namely Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Silvassa, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh.

Aside from the Mid-Day Meal Programme, this charitable trust in India also provides nutritious food in Anganwadi centres and has been a part of several disaster relief operations within and beyond the Indian boundaries.

Together, we can battle the hunger crisis and defeat it too. Support non-governmental organisations in India like Akshaya Patra because these organisations not only fill hungry stomachs but also nurture children right from the beginning. They also extend a helping hand to disaster-affected people during the hour of crisis. When you support to feed the children or contribute towards disaster relief feeding, you truly uphold the spirit of humanity.

Everyone has equal right to food.
So, take a step to support those who lack the means to access it
 

NGO: Akshaya Patra’s work in Rajasthan

Rajasthan, a state in the northwest part of India is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh most populated. It is the land of royals, forts, palaces, and rich culture and heritage. But amidst the kaleidoscopic outlook lies a gripping concern. Rajasthan has the fourth lowest literacy rate in the country and has the lowest female literacy rate too (Census 2011). It is also one among the BIMARU states that has lowest literacy rate and learning outcomes; the other states being Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. 

 Rajasthan is also battling high rate of out of school and school drop-out rate. The Government has been taking several steps to address this situation with mid-day meal in schools being one of them. As a supporting arm to the Government efforts, The Akshaya Patra Foundation stepped in to the state as an NGO in Rajasthan in 2004.

Background of Akshaya Patra

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an 18-year old children charity implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme across India. It is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka and has its operations in 12 states and 1 Union Territory including Rajasthan.

At present, Akshaya Patra provides daily school meals to 1,765,436 children studying in 16,785 Government schools and Government-aided schools situated in 49 locations.

Advent in Rajasthan

In the year 2004, Akshaya Patra expanded its operations to Rajasthan by establishing a centralised kitchen in Jaipur. Since then there has been no looking back. Today, this children charity nourishes 2,57,879 children across the state on each school day. Below is a quick look at the location-wise operations and the number of children getting benefitted from the meals provided by this NGO in Rajasthan:

Where is the meal prepared?

Akshaya Patra has its own kitchen in each location to prepare meals for the children. Among all the Akshaya Patra kitchens in Rajasthan, the Jaipur, Nathdwara, and Ajmer kitchens are ISO 22000:2005 certified and the remaining kitchens are in the process of certification. All the kitchens – both centralised and decentralised - strictly adhere to hygiene and cleanliness practices while preparing meals. All the centralised kitchens are equipped with hi-tech machines to prepare large quantity meals in a hygienic way each day. Each of the kitchens have a dedicated fleet of customised delivery vehicles to deliver meals hot and fresh to schools. This NGO in Rajasthan follows Kaizen, Continuous Improvement Projects and Six Sigma methodologies in its kitchens to increase productivity and efficiency of the cooking process.

Menu served

Being a children charity, Akshaya Patra ensures that each child relishes their meals by following a menu that suits the local taste buds along with being nutritious. So, as an NGO in Rajasthan, the Foundation’s menu comprises of:

• roti (Indian flatbread)
• dal (lentil curry)
• rice, mixed vegetable curry
• kadhi (curd-based curry)
• biscuits
• khichdi (a dish made of rice, lentils, and vegetables)
• sweet daliya (a cereal-based dish)
• cake
• biscuit
• kheer (rice-based Indian dessert)

Conclusion

Akshaya Patra wants to expand its reach and benefit more children in the state with wholesome meals and rightful education.

Join hands with Akshaya Patra and be a contributing citizen to make Rajasthan a truly royal state with healthy, educated, and vibrant children.

Impact of Mid-Day Meal Scheme on educational and nutritional status of school children in India

A meal that supports education in a wholesome way!

Way back in 2001 on the twentieth day of November, the Supreme Court of India passed a mandate stating, "We direct the State Governments/Union Territories to implement the Mid-Day Meal Scheme by providing every child in every Government and Government assisted Primary School with a prepared mid-day meal."

The objectives of this Mid-Day Meal Scheme were:

• avoid classroom hunger;
• increase school enrolment;
• increase school attendance;
• improve socialisation among castes;
• address malnutrition; and
• empower women through employment.

During 2018-19, 9.12 crore children in 11.35 lakh schools were benefitted from Central Government’s hot cooked nutritious mid-day meals.

Role of NGOs in MDM Scheme

It wouldn’t be wrong to refer mid-day meals as food for education. This Scheme has proved to be a potential incentive for parents to choose school over labour for their children. Parents send their children to school with the hope that the young ones will receive at least one proper meal a day; in turn helping these little kids to receive education too.

The importance of this meal has been well-understood by the Government taking the step to include NGOs as their implementing partner so that more children can be brought under the ambit of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. Several NGOs such as The Akshaya Patra Foundation thus has been implementing this much-needed programme across India. The collective impact of efforts put in by the Government and NGOs has resulted in the following positives among children:

• Regularity in attendance;
• Reduced drop-out rate;
• Improved health and concentration;
• Increased participation and improved performance in school activities.
•  Increased enrolment;

The real impact of mid-day meals

For a growing child, nutrition is an important factor. But challenging socio-economic backgrounds of children deprive them of the required amount of nutrition. This hinders their development while also impacting their cognitive abilities. In a concerning situation as this, the mid-day meals come by as a blessing.

The mid-day meal, whether provided by government agencies or non-governmental agencies (NGOs) have to adhere to the recommended dietary norms set by the Central Mid-Day Meal Scheme. This adherence ensures that children receive at least one meal for the day that is nutritious and wholesome; contributing to the nutritional need of children. This nutrition directly impacts physical, cognitive, and social development of children.

A significant initiative by the Government, this meal is truly food for education because it directly supports all education-related schemes of the government. It not only contributes towards right to education but also towards quality of learning.

Support mid-day meals of children

India, a home to millions of children needs the support and participation of all of us. When you contribute to schemes like this that address issues right from the ground level, you help to recreate the society in a more sustainable manner. Donate to children of India, for their food for education and feel proud to be a contributing citizen of the country. Also, get rewarded for being a responsible citizen in the form of income tax relief under Section 80G of Income Tax Act of India.

Nourish. Nurture. Be Proud.

Author Profile:

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an Indian NGO implementing the Mid-Day Meal Programme along with several child-centric initiatives. Your support to Akshaya Patra can potentially improve lives of millions of children with health and education.

Akshaya Patra’s journey of nourishing children

Didn’t we all wait for the lunch bell to ring during schooldays? Didn’t we all wait share our lunch with friends?
We did!

Schooldays – a treasure trove of memories, days of new lessons, secrets with friends, and so much more with nibbling lunch at the last bench while the class is on being one of the fondest of memories! Truly, nothing can replace the days we spent at school! Such is the story of millions of children today as they get a chance to attend school. Yes, there is a significant number of children who are able to receive schooling only because of the provision of free lunch at school, the Mid-Day Meal Programme.

What’s free lunch?

On 28 November 2001, the Supreme Court of India passed a mandate stating, 

"We direct the State Governments/Union Territories to implement the Mid-Day Meal Scheme by providing every child in every Government and Government assisted Primary School with
a prepared mid-day meal."

This was a significant intervention in promoting education and supporting education-related schemes and programmes.

In order to amplify the impact of the Mid-Day Meal Programme, several NGOs joined hands with the Government to implement it across India. Thus, this programme is now implemented by both Government and NGOs. For those families belonging to socio-economically challenging backgrounds, the provision of this free meal acts as an incentive to choose school over work for their children. has potentially resulted in:

        I.            Increase in enrolment

      II.            Improved attendance and regularity

    III.            Countering classroom hunger

    IV.            Improved health

      V.            Enhanced concentration during class hours

    VI.            Increased participation in school activities

  VII.            Reduced drop-out rate

Akshaya Patra’s journey in Mid-Day Meal Programme

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a mid-day meal NGO implementing the Mid-Day Meal Programme since 2000. Initially, it began feeding 1,500 children in five Government schools in Bengaluru. Witnessing the need of mid-day meals, the NGO inferred that there is a bigger need for these meals. Hence, it gradually expanded its operations and presently, this NGO provides freshly cooked wholesome lunch to 17,65,597 children studying in 15,668 Government & Government-aided schools. These schools are situated in 45 locations across Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh.

Feed a child with Akshaya Patra

Mid-day meal NGOs like Akshaya Patra not only fills hungry stomachs but also nurtures ambitions of young children. So, when you support to feed a child or two through these NGOs, it results in promoting education as well as preparing them to be resourceful citizens in the near future. Join in the journey of Akshaya Patra and help it reach its vision of ‘No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger’.

Step ahead, support NGO and create a future you desire to see!

Feed school children and save tax too!

Indeed, supporting a social cause is a selfless act and purely an individual choice. Most often, it is an inner voice urging us to do something good. We tend to extend our support to that particular social issue or concern with which we identify with the most. Say for example, if we are concerned about the situation of children belonging to low socio-economic strata then we will most likely support a children charity. Similarly, if we are a pro-environmentalist, then we will be more inclined towards a charity working to preserve the environment.

Social issues, though appear to be affecting a segment of the society, in reality, seeps deep down impacting the entire ecosystem; and all social issues are interconnected with each other. Let’s take hunger as one of the social issues that countries across the globe is struggling with and how it gives rise to other issues. A family belonging to low socio-economic strata and unsure of where their next meal will come from will more often than not engage all its members to earn for a square meal, including children. This obstructs children from attending school resulting in illiteracy. An illiterate individual does not qualify to get a well-paying job and returns back to the vicious cycle of poverty-hunger-illiteracy. It also becomes difficult for them to comprehend the concept and methods of healthy, sanitation, and hygiene resulting in more complex issues.

Your support to a social organisation can bring you rewards too!

The interconnectedness of social issues makes it a prerequisite that global organisations, governments, NGOs, and the civil society work in tandem with each other and in equal quantum. Hence, government of several countries including India has made the provision of tax deductions on donations towards charitable organisations. So, as you extend a helping hand in support of a social cause, you get rewarded with tax benefits.

For instance, if you support The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a children charity in India working in the field of providing daily school meals to government school children, you will be eligible for tax benefits under Section 80G of the Indian Income Tax Act. The tax exemption donation will be on your total donation contributed to the Foundation.

A win-win situation

The tax exemption donation makes way for a win-win situation – benefitting the NGO and you. Continuing with the same example of Akshaya Patra, when you donate for this charity, this is how your contribution makes an impact:

So, basically by contributing to feed school children, you are also saving tax.

In conclusion, so many causes can be supported, if we choose to make use of the provision made by government of tax deductions on our contribution to social causes. Well then, let’s make a choice today!

Author Profile:

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an Indian NGO implementing the Mid-Day Meal Programme along with several child-centric initiatives. Your support to Akshaya Patra can potentially improve lives of millions of children with health and education.

Celebrate Teachers’ Day by supporting a child’s meal!

“Teachers are the backbone of the education system” said Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Hence, upon becoming the President of India, when some of his students and friends requested him to allow them to celebrate his birthday on 5^th September, he replied, “Instead of celebrating my birthday, it would be my proud privilege if September 5^th is observed as Teachers' Day.” And since then, his words are being followed every year, across the country.

There could be hardly anyone who doesn’t remember their teachers, be they from school or college. We all have had our favourites and not-so-favourites, but whatever it is, reminiscing about the good old learning days, the memories of our teachers have been deeply etched in our hearts. And Teachers’ Day definitely gives us an opportunity to honour and celebrate the sincerity and dedication of our teachers who prepared us for where we are today!

Akshaya Patra’s bond with Teachers

Having been working as a mid-day meal NGO for the past 18+ years, The Akshaya Patra Foundation has a very close and amicable relationship with teachers. At present, Akshaya Patra provides freshly cooked wholesome lunch to 17,65,597 children studying in 15,668 Government & Government-aided schools. These schools are situated in 45 locations across Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh.

The teachers of these schools have always been in the forefront to support proper implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Programme. They have always provided regular feedbacks and exhibited complete willingness to help the Foundation in constantly improving the programme.

Stories of teachers

On the humble occasion of Teachers’ Day, here is quoting some of the teachers from the Foundation’s beneficiary schools:

Ø  Jai Pinto, Physical Education Teacher, St. Aloysius School, Cleveland Town, Bengaluru says, "The school's association with Akshaya Patra has been very fulfilling. Children are happy with the wholesome nutritious meals provided. There are fewer dropouts from the marginalised section of the society and I have seen a significant improvement in the enthusiasm levels of children.”

Ø  Ismail Malik, Principal, Antti Kumar Prathamik Shala, Padra Taluk, Vadodara, Gujarat says, "The mid-day meal has brought a tremendous decline in the student drop-out rate. In the primary school, the increase in attendance is nearly as high as 60% to 70%. The numerous awards that now decorate the school office are a testimony to this."

Ø  G. Ranganath, Head Master, Government High School, Policy Colony, Karnataka says, "The government, by partnering with organisations like Akshaya Patra have ensured that children receive tasty and nutritious meals. The programme has been successful in reducing child labour and improving school enrolment and attendance."

Make their story, yours!

On this Teachers’ Day, choose to share the care of these teachers and hundreds more like them by opting for online donation towards the Mid-Day Meal Programme. The mid-day meals greatly contribute towards better school attendance, improved health and concentration of children. Thus, your contribution towards the Mid-Day Meal Programme will not only help children but also significantly help teachers in their efforts to impart education.

Step ahead, and honour your teacher this Teachers’ Dayby caring for meals of a student!