Revati’s hope story by Akshaya Patra

Empathy walks hand in hand with Revati. An Akshaya Patra beneficiary (Akshaya Patra is an NGO in Mysuru and 28 other locations in India), Revati is a 10-year-old girl studying in Class V in Government Higher Primary School (GHPS), Hinkal, Mysuru. This young mind aims to become a pediatrician while empathy drives her ambition. She says, “I like children a lot. I wish to ease their suffering.”

Strong support for a strong aspiration

Revati, a student who is benefitted by Mid-Day Meal Programme in Karnataka, comes from a broken home. Her mother committed suicide when she was just three months old. Her father, who remarried after the incident, works as a coolie at a provision store. Her 11-year-old elder sister stays with him, whereas Revati stays with maternal grandmother in a joint family. She sees her father once a week or once a fortnight.  

Hope in the story 

A determined student, Revati counts English and Kannada as her favourite subjects. “I also like drawing, dancing and participating in cultural programmes. Akshaya Patra’s mid-day meals in Karnataka are a big hit with Revati and her classmates. They are also a relief and reassurance for her family that she gets a healthy, wholesome school lunch every day. She enthusiastically states, “The food is tasty, nutritious and hygienic, which is great. The payasam and Bisibele Baath are my favourite.”

Read all the Akshaya Patra Beneficiary stories at hope stories.

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Lakshmi’s Hope Story by Akshaya Patra

Standing guard in defense of the country is a mighty ambition. Lakshmi Bai, a 13-year-old beneficiary of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO in Hubballi, studying in Std VII, wants to join the armed forces. The Siachen incident, where 10 soldiers were buried underneath snow, changed the way she looked at the armed forces and inspired her to pursue the dream of joining them. She admires the sacrifices soldiers make so that citizens can be safe.

Lakshmi’s hope story is that she wants to serve her nation 24*7. “Protecting the nation is the primary objective. Sleep is secondary,” she says, adding, “This is my tribute to the martyrs and the soldiers who are working day and night for our nation. A soldier takes care of his nation irrespective of the weather. He has to stand vigil when the nation sleeps peacefully. I admire our soldiers."

Lakshmi enjoys the mid-day meals served in her school in Karnataka’s Hubballi, by Akshaya Patra, an NGO in Hubballi. “I do not bring lunch from home as I like the meals served in school, especially the pulao. The meals are highly nutritious, so my mother is not worried about my health anymore,” she says confidently.

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Meet Sanjana – Mid-Day Meal Beneficiary Who Tops Her Class

For Sanjana, it’s just another day at school; she reaches school around 9 am, completes pending homework, attends the morning assembly and gets on with Std VIII classes for the rest of her day. Government Higher Primary School, located in Bairidevara Koppa, Hubballi, is well maintained and the students here are quite enthusiastic. A section of this school was built under the ‘Freedom through Education’ project led by Round Table India.

Sanjana Borashetti from Hubballi is not just a school topper but is also the go-to person for her classmates. She also has her own collection of Kannada poems. After school, she leaves for home that has grown accustomed to living without electricity. Sanjana and her family have been living without electricity for four years. In order to study and complete her homework, Sanjana uses a torch. “There are two torches at home. I use one while studying,” she says.

For this young girl, Akshaya Patra’s mid-day meal in Karnataka is a boon. She and her siblings have been dependent on mid-day meals for many years and Akshaya Patra, an NGO in Karnataka is glad to be making a difference in their lives. Her story gives us an in-depth understanding on why social development initiatives like Food for Education are important in nation building. To help the initiative, you can donate towards education in India by sponsoring a child for a year. To read more about Sanjana’s life and other beneficiaries, visit stories of children.

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A Tough Policeman in the Making, Who Also Sells Delicate Roses!

A police inspector ensures law and order is observed, maintains security, ascertains the welfare of society and deters criminal activities. Janardhan C, a 10-year-old-boy studying in Std V at Government Higher Primary School, Tarabanahalli, is a beneficiary of Akshaya Patra, an NGO in Bangalore which provides free mid-day meals to school children.  He aspires to safeguard the security of citizens and nab criminals and wants to become a police officer. “I will protect my nation against antisocial elements and nab criminals who are a threat to the common man,” says the determined young man. 

Hailing from Ballari, Janardhan’s family consists of his father Chandrappa and his mother Bhagyamma, along with 11-year-old Karthik, who studies in a different government school, in Std VI. The parents are labourers who work at construction sites and the family lives in a small house that resembles a shanty, without basic amenities like water. To support his family financially, Janardhan spends his free time cutting roses and selling them. His favourite hobby, he says, is reading. Recently he read a book on National Symbols.  He is very inquisitive and wants to understand about India and its uniqueness. He adds, “I like to read about everything that is Indian. I am proud of my nation.” A bright student, Janardhan’s teachers are all praise for him. His Science teacher, Latha Miss, says, “Janardhan is very intelligent and he learns everything in the class and clarifies his doubts, then and there.”

Akshaya Patra’s mid-day meal in Karnataka protects Janardhan and his brother, Karthik, from classroom hunger.  Their parents are happy to send their children to school, since they can learn as well as eat a scrumptious meal. Janardhan’s favourite dish is the ‘pulao’, which is served on Wednesdays. He explains, “I like the variety in the food provided by Akshaya Patra. I like all the meals but my favourite is pulao. There are a lot of vegetables, which give me the needed nutrients and vitamins to learn and grow.” Meanwhile, his brother Karthik, whose is also an Akshaya Patra beneficiary, likes Bisibele Baath the most.  Both of them also love the sweets served on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Akshaya Patra’s meals give marginalised children like Janardhan the courage to dream. Its kitchens, pan-India, ignites stories of hope at the break of dawn, preparing a wholesome school lunch for children of government schools every day!

Read his full story at Stories of Hope.

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Story of a Student Who Wants to Become a Social Worker

What is social work? ‘Work carried out by trained personnel with the aim of alleviating the conditions of those people in a community suffering from social deprivation’ states Oxford Dictionary.

In this story of hope, we would like to put the spotlight on her dream because if there’s one thing she needs, it is an equal opportunity in life. Nagamma is a Std V student from Government Higher Primary School, Tarabanahalli. Her house has a thatched roof and a tin sheet door and is shared by five members in the family; two siblings and parents who work as construction labourers.

Nagamma is a beneficiary of Akshaya Patra - an NGO in Bangalore that provides mid-day meals in Karnataka and other states in India. A beneficiary yes, but Nagamma is also one among the 179.6 million people in India who are living below poverty line. They do not have a land of their own and stay in a mud house on government land. In a situation like this, Akshaya Patra becomes a support system for Nagamma. Along with one square-meal a day, her education continues to be uninterrupted.

If there’s one thing Nagamma needs, it is an equal opportunity in life. To know full report on Nagamma and her background, read her story at dream to become a social worker.

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