Akshaya Patra celebrated 17 years of feeding the future

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Akshaya patraThe Akshaya Patra Foundation was born in 2000. It started with feeding 1,500 children in Bengaluru. Since its founding, it has been responsible for a visible improvement in the health of children, along with increased enrollment, steady attendance and better concentration during school hours. The Foundation works towards the cause of food for education’, ensuring that every child in India is healthy and educated.Facing challenges head-on in its mission to feed 5 million children by 2020, Akshaya Patra is running the largest school lunch programme. The Foundation feeds over 1.6 million children studying in 13,800+ schools across India. The meals are prepared in its 33 kitchens across 12 states of India.While Akshaya Patra is a well-known NGO in the country today, it’s mid-day meal scheme

is one of the largest non-government mid-day meal initiative in the country. The programme addresses the critical problem of malnutrition and chronic hunger among children. Furthermore, schools where the programme has been introduced have seen dropout rates fall by an average of 10%, as parents are keen to keep their children in school, even if only for the certainty of a nutritious meal. The programme aims to feed over 5 million school children by 2020.

Neonatal’ problemsThe Mid Day Meal Scheme was mandated centrally by the Government in 2003. Akshaya Patra partnered with the Government to serve cooked meals in schools. To tackle classroom hunger in association with the Government was a welcome progression for Akshaya Patra. Any donation to the NGO begets tax exemptions.This partnership works towards: Eliminating classroom hungerIncreasing school enrolmentIncreasing school attendanceImproving socialisation among castesAddressing malnutrition An army marches on its stomach. Attributed to both Napolean Bonaparte and Frederick The Great, the quote is applicable to children too as the army of children are an intellectual army.A fruitful tie-upTo improve primary education and counter classroom hunger, the Government developed two significant programmes:1.Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA); and2.Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS)Through the flagship programme SSA, the Government aims to achieve Universalisation of Elementary Education (UEE) in a time-bound manner, by offering free and compulsory education to the children aged between 614 years. However, the socio-economic scenario did require an incentive to further the SSA initiative. The Mid-Day Meal Scheme, which aims to Feed The Children

came by. The MDMS focuses on providing a free lunch at all Government schools to enhance enrollment, retention and attendance, and improve their nutritional levels. It was a noteworthy initiative as the impact of this scheme was seen across the country.

The Foundation follows both centralised and decentralised kitchen formats to implement the programme. Out of these, 13 centralised kitchens of the Foundation are ISO 22000:2005 certified and the remaining are in the process of getting certification. Working in partnership with the Central and State Governments, with the support of numerous philanthropists, Akshaya Patra aims to feed 5 million children by 2020.Shape the future of these children, as you shape yours. Join the cause. It takes just Rs 950 to feed a child for one year. Donate today.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a not-for-profit organization. The Foundation feeds over 1.6 million children studying in 13,800+ schools across India. The

Mid-Day Meal Scheme

, which aims to Feed The Children came by.

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