Learning is fun,
but only when the stomach is full. A hungry
child cannot think about anything else other than food. This can affect the
way a child concentrates in the class and his or her overall performance at the
school.
The food issue
has grown to such an extent that, these children are sometimes compelled to go
for work to earn their daily bread. No wonder, India is yet to attain complete freedom from child labour, an issue which
has always stood in the path of our nation’s development. However, there has
been a remarkable change in this trend from the past few years. Data from the Ministry of Labour & Employment
shows that in 2011, only 43.53 lakh children aged between five and 14 opted
work over their school compared to the 1.26 crore children in the year 2001.
A report released
by the World Bank shows that more students were going back to school from the
year 2000 onwards. It was the same year when The Akshaya Patra Foundation,
a Mid-Day Meal NGO was established. Only 1.4 million students missed out school
in 2011 compared to 32 million in 2001.
An initiative established
with a mission to end classroom hunger has succeeded in bringing some of our vulnerable
children back to the school. The
organisation has come a long way in attaining its mission and Akshaya Patra’s Mid-Day
Meal Programme today feeds over 1.4 million underserved Government school
children in 10 states, compared to 1,500 children in 2000.
Akshaya Patra has received
wide support and donations from different parts of the world and the
organisation hopes to feed 5 million school children by 2020.
Children are considered to be a gift from the
God. It is our responsibility to protect and support the gift. Support the cause today
and return our children their right to
education.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is completing its 15 years of service in the society. The NGO started in the year 2000 by feeding just 1500 children. In the 15th anniversary of the organization it reached 1.4 million children. On this occasion, Akshaya Patra is contesting some fun activities. Visit celebrating 15 year.
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