The Food for Education programme by The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO in Surat, feeds the dreams of 1,43,293 children in 337 schools in the city. Among these dreams is that of Divya Chandrakar, an 11-year-old Akshaya Patra beneficiary studying in Std VI in Shri Baba Amte Primary School, Surat. This young lady wants to be a figure in elegance and become a dancer.
Like many of her counterparts, Divya’s interests are varied, from academics to co-curricular activities. She also likes to participate in competitions such as drawing and dance contests and Sports Day. “At school, we can study, play, learn new things and have nutritious meals,” says Divya, the daughter of a house painter father and a mother who works in a paper mill. There are numerous children like her, who receive a mid-day meal in Surat to power the pursuit of their aspirations and keep them in school.
Divya is fond of the food served in her school as part of the Foundation’s school lunch programme. The names of several items on the menu are on the tip of her tongue and she delightfully lists khichdi, roti, Naan Khatai and more! Her favourite dish is Dal Chawal. She concludes, “Some of us don’t get food from home and can’t afford to eat outside, so the food provided by Akshaya Patra is important to us. Without it, we’ll feel hungry and won’t be able to study. It is this food that gives me the energy to concentrate and the enthusiasm to dance.”
Read her full story at: Stories of Children
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