Mrinmay Malakar is a grade five student at the Khudradadhi Lower Primary School in Assam. Every day early in the morning Mrinmay begins his day by taking Munnu, the family’s only goat, out to graze.
Mrinmay’s father works as a labourer, and
does a secondary job as a flower seller to supplement the family income. His
father is the only wage earner in the family. When his father is able to work
most days of the month, the family earns about Rs. 5,000 that month, however if
work has been scarce then he earns about Rs. 2,000 in the month to feed the
whole family.
Mrinmay’s school provides the Akshaya Patra
mid-day meal. This has proven to be of huge benefit to Mrinmay and his family.
At home the family only eats dal, rice or pitha (a type of bread). At school,
through the Akshaya Patra mid-day meal, Mrinmay gets the nutritious vegetables
and lentils that his ten-year old body requires, to grow healthily.
Mrinmay’s favourite part of Akshaya Patra’s
mid-day meal is the kheer, khichdi and vegetable pulao that the Foundation serves on
Saturdays and Wednesdays, something that Mrinmay does not get at home.
Mrinmay’s life is simple. The family does
not own a television so Mrinmay spends his free time playing cricket or hide-and-seek.
But often Mrinmay’s free time also goes helping his father sell flowers.
Akshaya Patra’s mid-day meal has helped Mrinmay stay healthy, as well as
provided some relief to his family’s burden by taking care of the daily
nutrition for the growing boy. By giving Mrinmay an incentive to attend school
regularly too, this is an opportunity for the fate of Mrinmay’s family to
change for the better.
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