How supporting Akshaya Patra helps society?

Non-governmental organisations, generally referred to as NGOs are organisations or groups of like-minded people working towards a common goal i.e. making this world a better place. The work of NGOs ranges from human rights to animal rights, child development to skill development, safeguarding environment to the well-being of lives; implying that a plethora of factors contributes to the overall upliftment of the society. Here, I will keep the focus on child development and see how The Akshaya Patra Foundation - an Indian NGO for children is making a difference and how can you contribute to their efforts.

Akshaya Patra has been in the service of children since 2000. The NGO provides nutritious school meals to children of government and government-aided schools every day. With the vision, ‘No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger’, the Foundation strives to serve ‘unlimited food for education’ to support health and schooling of children. Akshaya Patra operates in a Public-Private Partnership model thus working in partnership with the Central Government of India, State Governments and philanthropic donors – Corporates and Individuals. Presently, Akshaya Patra is nourishing more than 1.7 million children across 12 states of India with the plans of benefitting more children by expanding its operational reach to more locations.

Why should you support Akshaya Patra?

It is reported that the largest section of India’s population is under the age of 25, of which 39% are children aged between 0 and 18 years; implying that if we do not want to embrace a future that will have generations of dependent and unskilled population, then we need to take care of them now. We must act up to provide food, education, proper care, and avenues to develop skills for this 39%.

Studies indicate that the mid-day meal has significantly increased school attendance and enrolment, decreased drop-out rate, improved health, as well as enhanced socialisation among children. So, when you support Akshaya Patra you are contributing towards the development of children in particular, and progress of the nation in general. The below testimonials of teachers from Akshaya Patra’s beneficiary schools further explains the need to support school meals of children:

• Ismail Malik, Principal, Antti Kumar Prathamik Shala, Padra Taluk, Vadodara, Gujarat said, "The mid-day meal has brought a tremendous decline in the student drop-out rate. In the primary school, the increase in attendance is nearly as high as 60% to 70%. The numerous awards that now decorate the school office are a testimony to this."
• G. Ranganath, Head Master, Government High School, Policy Colony, Karnataka said, "The government, by partnering with organisations like Akshaya Patra have ensured that children receive tasty and nutritious meals. The programme has been successful in reducing child labour and improving school enrolment and attendance."
• Jai Pinto, Physical Education Teacher, St. Aloysius School, Cleveland Town, Bengaluru said, "The school's association with Akshaya Patra has been very fulfilling. Children are happy with the wholesome nutritious meals provided. There are fewer dropouts from the marginalised section of the society and I have seen a significant improvement in the enthusiasm levels of children.”

How can you support Akshaya Patra?

The Foundation acknowledges that every support it has received has contributed significantly in its operational expansion thereby helping to increase its beneficiary base. Thus, it provides an active platform for you to be a part of the Foundation’s efforts. You can choose to:

• Become an NGO volunteer;
• Sponsor meals of children;
• Sponsor kitchen equipment;
• Create a fundraising campaign;
• Make a donation in honour of someone;
• Be an online mascot;
• Be a CSR partner; 
• Celebrate special occasions with the organisation; or
• Participate in the campaigns and events organised by the NGO.

In conclusion, we must understand that the efforts of government and NGOs will fructify only when we all contribute to it. So, let us not just discuss issues, instead, step out and act to create a change!

Read more »

Literacy Outshines Everything Else

UNESCO’s International Literacy Day is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and the banner says “Reading the Past, Writing the Future”. Clearly, the motto is to ensure that we learn from our past achievements and failures and carve a promising future in the quality of education and literacy rates.

When UNESCO had proclaimed September 8 as International Literacy Day 50 years ago, it had set out its focus on the eradication of illiteracy by mobilising various channels, organisations and communities. Today, it’s indeed a large community of like-minded individuals and organisations that are working together for facilitating education for children and adults. The day will also mark the awarding of International Literacy Prizes in order to honour people who have outstanding solutions towards achieving the 2030 Education Agenda. UNESCO has begun to implement the 2030 Education agenda for the illiteracy eradication that aims at “achieving literacy and numeracy to all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women.” At Akshaya Patra, we couldn’t be more excited than now since we work with the motto of “food for education” in order to reach out to the unreached children of India with food and education.

As UNESCO launches its new agenda on education, our government continues to work towards enhancing the quality of children’s education. Many studies report that in India many children do not attend school since they have to take care of domestic chores at home as their parents fetch bread and butter every day. However, it’s more worrying that a major portion of population does not think it necessary to pursue education.

The education system in India still suffers from high school drop-out rates. The data from the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) had revealed last year that 13 out of every 100 Indians between 5-29 years did not attend school or dropped out because they did not consider education necessary. As an NGO for children, Akshaya Patra encourages dialogue and interaction with decision makers within families of children and makes them aware about the importance of education. We do wish to eliminate one crucial factor of hunger that deprives children of education yet we recognise that our efforts need to go beyond this.

We realised that the proportion of kids who don’t attend school due to financial constraints or domestic chores was higher between 10-14 years. This was the same demographic that also considered education unnecessary. With our Mid-Day Meal Programme, we intended to uproot the above two major factors of dropping out. As a result, many parents were persuaded to send all their kids to school since they knew that the school was taking care of one of their meals. Many remote government schools noticed a dip in the school drop-out rate with visible change in the admissions. One such example is the Zilla Parishad School in T K Pura near Hyderabad, which today educates 103 students. The students became regular while the enrollment rate went up by 2%. 

How are we making a difference?

While we know that much needs to improve in the education system in India, we also believe that this system is capable enough to make children aware about the world and their surroundings apart from empowering them with literacy.

The year 2016 has been better for the government in terms of decreasing the number of school drop-outs. Many states have made progress towards this. A recent government report states that Odisha had made significant progress in reducing school dropout rates from 18.72% in 2012-13 to 6.02% in 2015-16. It’s extremely encouraging because we have been working in Odisha for many years as an NGO for children and providing mid-day meals in schools.

On International Literacy Day, you have the opportunity of joining the Education Agenda 2030 along with Akshaya Patra. We need more children and more adults who know how to read and write. Education is such a tool that can equip people to face any challenge in life while illiteracy often disrupts their progress.

You can make a difference too by a small charity donation. As we celebrate the completion of 2 billion meals, we strive to involve more people towards the cause of food for education.

Read more »

School Days Are Here Again!

Crisp school uniforms, new compass boxes, polished shoes and packed school bags – it is time to welcome these sights again, as rain-soaked days herald the start of a brand new school year. After the lulls of the summer vacations, going back to school is a bittersweet experience indeed. No longer is it possible to sleep late into the morning or play and watch one’s favourite television programmes all day. It is now back to the old familiar – school friends, classes, homework and the discipline of following a schedule throughout the day.

The reopening of schools also brings with it the most delightful hour in the bustle of school life – the lunch break. This is the most anticipated time of the day, as growling stomachs need to be silenced with a healthy, wholesome meal. Good nutrition is imperative to the physical, mental and emotional development of children. After all, who, be it adult or child, can think straight with hunger clawing at their gut? Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO for children that provides mid-day meals to 1.4 million kids across India, ensures that not only do children go back to school, but they stay there too.

In a country like India where hunger and malnutrition cripples the educational performance of children and even leads them to desist from the pursuit of education, it is imperative that an incentive like free mid-day meals be implemented. Education is the magic spell that needs to be cast for empowering children and this can only be done if, like their privileged counterparts, the socioeconomically underprivileged too have a full stomach.

Don’t let food be a mere thought for a child.

Your contribution could help keep a kid in school. Donate to NGO now!

Read more »

Experience the Other Side of Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

The long wait is finally over and it’s time to feast with your family and friends! November 26 is Thanksgiving Day, the day in a year when we stop to count the blessings in our lives and give thanks for what we have achieved so far.

Centuries have passed since a special day for Thanksgiving came on this earth and there is no doubt that the fourth Thursday in November has gained more prominence over the years.  In the modern busy world, we hardly get time to socialise or spend time with family. Thanksgiving, in a way, is a day meant exclusively for enjoying delicious meals with our loved ones.

When a grand family meal is awaiting us on Thanksgiving Day, there are some children who still go to sleep in empty stomachs. The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO for children in India, has been trying to provide one meal a day to children in India since 2000 so that they do not have to choose between hunger and education.

The NGO has kitchens in 24 locations across 10 states in India to prepare freshly cooked nutritious meals for school children. No wonder, in the past 15 years, over 1.4 million children across India have found their way back to school.

Here is an opportunity to experience the other side of Thanksgiving.  Help provide a daily meal for school children and give them a day to thank you.

Be thankful for what you have and help those who don’t have. Donate food for Thanksgiving.  Let us create a special Thanksgiving Day for kids.

Read more »