International Women’s Day was just celebrated on the 8th of March. The Akshaya Patra Foundation aside from providing the mid-day meal programme to Government school children also works for other social causes in different ways. One cause that is very close to Akshaya Patra is equality of women and men.
Akshaya Patra works to provide equal opportunity regardless of gender in a few ways. Through the mid-day meal programme Akshaya Patra feeds every child attending school, irrespective of gender. Very often only boys in low income families are encouraged to study, while the girls have to sacrifice their dreams. However with the mid-day meal parents are only too happy to send their daughters to school too since it reduces the burden to feed them. This way Akshaya Patra provides both food and education to both boys and girls.
Akshaya Patra also supports women through employment. With kitchens in 23 locations across the country which employ women in different capacities, Akshaya Patra provides women with economic independence as well as self-esteem and local standing. Two of Akshaya Patra’s kitchens are also decentralised which are primarily run by women self-help groups.
Akshaya Patra also provides additional support by serving the mid-day meal at local Anganwadis to pregnant women, lactating mothers and infants. This way Akshaya Patra ensures that they meet their nutritional requirements in this delicate period of their lives.
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