Every monthly donation helps more kids like Rohit get midday meals
There are certain areas in our country where, even today, education is not seen as an important. Seven-year-old Rohit stays in one such village in Uttar Pradesh. His parents were not interested in sending him to school. With their poverty, education became not as important for them.
When the mid-day meal program started, they finally agreed to send him to school. In the beginning, he was only interested in the food and did not pay attention in class. However, over time, he started taking interest in his studies.
He has been a regular student for the past two years. Rohit's mid-day meal has been his access to education. One healthy meal can make a big difference for a child's future.
By donating to this program
you will be sponsoring the overall costs incurred to support the beneficiaries
What the beneficiary gets
Program Description
The Akshaya Patra Foundation provides underprivileged children with a healthy meal a day. The surest way to break this cycle of poverty is through education. Education can improve the quality of life for generations to come.
When the basic needs of a child are not met, education often becomes the last priority. At times like that, a mid-day meal is an incentive for them to continue their education and reduces the dropout rate.
The food is cooked in centralized kitchens and the program is implemented across schools in partnership with the government of India.
Close to 1.5 million children in 10 states are provided with mid-day meals.Donate to this program and you will support the mid-day meal for a child in a school in Uttar Pradesh for one year. This may be the only good meal they eat in a day and will help them resume their education.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation
Program Updates
22 September, 2023
An update on the program you are supporting
#8
Activities and work undertaken in the last 5-6 months
Total number of beneficiaries impacted was 52 in Gorakhpur with 40% being females
Challenges faced and next steps
The program stands true to its aim of curbing classroom hunger and addressing malnutrition by providing nutritious and delicious meals to 50+ students. This has helped the students improve socialisation among themselves and also increase attendance for school.
Stories from the ground
School Name: Upper Primary School, Bati, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh Student Name: Neha 11-year-old Neha dreams of becoming a doctor when she grows up. She comes from a humble background and has two older and two younger siblings. Both her parents work extremely hard to ensure that their five children have access to education. To become a doctor, Neha knows that she has to focus on her academics. So, she studies for at least 5 hours every day without fail. The Class 4 student says: �When I become a doctor, I will open a hospital here and treat poor patients for free because my village does not have healthcare facilities and we have to travel to the city for basic treatment.� She enjoys eating the Dal Khichadi and Kheer that is served in her school as part of the mid-day meal menu.
5 December, 2022
Mid-day meal to Government School Children
#7
Activities and work undertaken in the last 5-6 months
New kitchens were inaugurated by Akshaya Patra to reach out to more children. 5 new kitchens were launched in the last 6 months, which means that close to 1,50,000 more children will get access to mid-day meals. At present 18,00,907 children are given mid day meals daily. Mid-day meals are prepared in the centralised and decentralised kitchens with top priority given to hygiene and safety. Locally palatable meals are prepared in a cyclical manner to break the monotony in taste that could lead to wastage of food. These meals are distributed in over 19,039 Government and Government-aided schools to end classroom hunger in children. The school meals served by The Akshaya Patra Foundation are healthy and nutritious. These meals when served on a daily basis, nourish them for a long term and support the overall development of children – physical and cognitive. These meals also act as an incentive for children to come to school every day, thereby reducing the school dropout rates, which in turn helps them get educated. These meals help children focus for a longer time and increases their attention span, ultimately improving their academic scores.
Challenges faced and next steps
The vision of The Akshaya Patra Foundation is to feed 5 million children by 2025. In order to achieve this number, many more kitchens will be launched to ensure that nutritious meals reach to every nook and corner of the country, so that every school-going child from the low-income sections of society is benefitted.
Stories from the ground
Kapil: Nation comes first for every proud Indian, irrespective of age, it isn’t any different for Kapil who is an 11-year-old student of Government Primary School, New Baldev (Mathura). He has laid out his priorities very clearly - first comes ‘Nation’, second comes ‘Family’ and third comes his ‘Village’. If you happen to visit this village and come across a young adult donning a camouflage cap and marching through the streets rather than jumping around like other children, you have most likely bumped into Kapil, who is a huge fan of the Indian Army. Born to a couple who struggles really hard to make their ends meet, Kapil aspires to join the Indian Army one day. His dream to become a part of the Army was not a long-thought career plan; it was an instant decision.
During his holidays, he stayed with his uncle for a few days. One day, while lifting a gas cylinder, his uncle miscalculated the space between his leg and the ground and accidently dropped it on his foot, causing incessant pain and unstoppable bleeding. Kapil rushed to his rescue; he tied a piece of cloth to reduce the bleeding and gave him some first-aid help. When asked about his quick ability to respond, he said that he had learnt all this by watching first-aid service videos played in his school. Acknowledging his quick ability to respond, his uncle thanked him for saving his life and compared his courage to that of a soldier. He was proud of being a young child who did not fear the sight of blood, was swift in his action and was clear in prioritising his actions.
All these qualities gave him the hope that he can get into the Indian Army and has been training his mind for the intense workouts and struggles that he has to go through. He is aware of the hardships that his father - a coolie and his mother – a housewife, go through on a daily basis; which is why he engages in physical activities to keep himself fit rather than choosing to be trained by a coach. He wants to train his body so that his name can be his teachers’ first recommendation into NCC. He says, “I know what happens during training. We have to exercise, hang on the ropes, climb the walls and do push-ups holding the rods. I am ready for this drill.” Kapil is prepared to get his muscles, biceps, and chest maximized for serving the nation.
His ability to focus in studies and his aim to score well in his exams is his short-term goal that will help him reach his long-term goal of serving the nation, his family and his village. When asked about what helps him stay focussed, he credits Akshaya Patra for serving school meals every day. He says “midday meals taste better” and that he prefers them over homemade food.
23 May, 2022
Mid-day Meals in Uttar Pradesh
#6
Activities and work undertaken in the last 5-6 months
Due to the closure of schools, mid-day meal beneficiaries were deprived of their daily share of nutrition. Hence, to nourish them while schools were closed, Happiness Kits were provided to support their nutrition, health, hygiene, and education.
Many dignitaries and famous personalities have supported the implementation of the mid-day meal program.
Uttar Pradesh
47 children are fed every day.
By receiving mid-day meals every day, their health improved and they were able to concentrate better in the classroom. There was a significant improvement in their physical strength and cognitive ability.
Challenges faced and next steps
Due to the closure of schools, mid-day meal beneficiaries did not receive their daily share of school meals.
To nourish them while they studied at home and to support their families, Family Happiness Kits were provided. Each kit contained rice, wheat flour, pulses and legumes, spices, oil, etc., along with learning materials like activity workbooks, coloured pencils, crayons, etc.
For the next 6 months, we aim to feed 47 children every day.
Stories from the ground
"I want to become an Army officer."
An 11-year-old student at Government Primary School, New Baldev (Mathura), Kapil wants to wipe out enemies from the Indian subcontinent. His dream of becoming a part of the Army was not a long-thought career plan; it was an instant decision.
He has laid out his priorities very clearly-first comes "Nation", second comes "Family", and third comes his "Village". If you happen to visit his village and come across a young adult donning a camouflage cap and marching through the streets rather than jumping around like other children, you have most likely bumped into Kapil, who is a huge fan of the Indian Army.
23 March, 2021
Mid-day Meal for government school children
#5
Akshaya Patra reaches out to 2,23,608 children in 3 kitchens at Uttar Pradesh in India, providing them with freshly cooked meal on all school days. Currently, we implement the mid-day meal programme in 3490 schools of Uttar Pradesh, with plans to increase that number to hundreds more.
Due to Covid-19 pandemic we are providing Happiness Kits to our mid-day meal beneficiaries. The cost per happiness kit is Rs. 550/-.
Each Happiness Kit will be packed with nutritious food items, immunity boosters, hygiene kit and learning materials.
Today, Akshaya Patra has 52 kitchens spread across 12 states & 2 Union territories of India, a result of the successful partnership with the Government of India, various State Governments and generous supporters.
5 August, 2020
A visit to the kitchen and food distribution by the donors
#4
A visit to the kitchen and food distribution by the donors
On 11 December 2019, at the CII Food Safety Quality & Regulatory Summit and Award Ceremony in New
Delhi, The Akshaya Patra Foundation’s Bhavnagar kitchen bagged the prestigious CII Award for Outstanding
Performance and the Thane kitchen received CII Commendation Certificate for Strong Commitment to Good
Manufacturing Practices.
On 20 February 2020, Honourable Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Kamal Nath graced the occasion of
Bhumi Pujan of The Akshaya Patra Foundation at Chhindwara district. The dignitaries present along with the
Chief Minister were Shri Nakul Nath, MP of Lok Sabha; Shri Ravi Jhunjhunwala, President of HEG Ltd.; and
Shri Chanchalapathi Dasa, Vice-Chairman of The Akshaya Patra Foundation.
The Foundation’s Chhindwara kitchen aims to feed healthy and nutritious meals to 7,000 students in 116
Government and Government-aided schools within the first phase. In the second phase, Akshaya Patra aims to
serve school meals to 15,000 students over a period of six months.
3 December, 2019
Awards and kitchen inauguration in progress
#3
Awards and kitchen inauguration in progress
22 July, 2019
#2
Program Update
Akshaya Patra reaches out to 1,762,133 children in 42 locations across 12 states of India, providing them with freshly cooked meal on all school days. Currently, we implement the mid-day meal programme in 15,024 schools of the country, with plans to increase that number to hundreds more.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation has been chosen as the BBC World Service’s Global Food Champion 2019.
Shri Chanchalapathi Dasa, Hon’ble Vice-Chairman of Akshaya Patra, received the award at a ceremony held in Bristol City Council, United Kingdom. The CEO of Akshaya Patra UK, Mr Bhawani Shekhawat also attended the award ceremony.
This was the third edition of Global Food Champion, an annual award that honours people or causes that help societies and inspire lives. In 2018, a very talented chef and caring humanitarian, Mr Jose Andres – the man who helped provide 3.4 million meals to people in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria – won the award.
Story from the field
As a 15-year old boy, Aditya, studies in Village Panchayat Primary School at Ulas Khera, Lucknow. In a classroom where everyone sits on the floor, Aditya sits on a bench. While some might call it an oddity, the teachers explain that he is differently abled. The school authorities have considered it as an exceptional case and provides him a bench. When Aditya was three, he suffered a fall while playing in his house. The fall had affected his limbs, and as a result, he is not able to bend his knees, use his hands to hold or pick heavy things, or turn his neck. If the school authorities are compassionate enough to arrange a bench for him, his friends — Anuj, Vishesh, and Ravindra — are kind enough to help him with academics. With all his difficulties, his brilliance ploughs through and comes to the fore. The child is a prodigy. Budhi Kashyap, Aditya’s father, is a small-time farmer from Ulas Khera, Lucknow. He is a typical man of the soil in his early 50s, with greying hair and a stubble. His family comprises his wife, Kalavati; six sons, and four daughters — three of whom are married. Aditya is his ninth child. He admits that it is difficult to sustain such a large family. He likes the food that is served in the school. He likes kheer and dalchawal the most.”It is interesting to note that harnessing solar energy is not a part of his school syllabus. When asked from where he got the idea, “(from) my mind,” he quips, breaking into a mischievous smile. He then narrates a story of how, when on one of their visits to a temple, he saw solar panels being used to power streetlights. He not only understood the theory of the concept, but even applied it effectively. On enquiring if he will be able to power a bigger fan or light if he is provided a bigger solar panel; he is quick to explain that it is dangerous as there is a possibility of getting electrocuted. He is well aware of the hazards of electricity. He knows where to draw the line. “My mother thinks this is dangerous,” he smirks pointing at the battery and wires, “She thinks I’ll get stuck to these wires.” In his free time at home, Aditya watches cartoons on TV— his favourite cartoon being Motu Patlu. In the school, his best friends Anuj, Vishesh, and Ravindra, help him in studies and also play Ludo with him. Despite his interest in electronics, Aditya wants to teach computers to children. His interest in computers is surprising, considering that the school doesn’t have computers as a subject as of now. Akshaya Patra and ITI have tied up to provide a computer lab to the school. As of now, the children are only taught theory and yet, Aditya seems to have grown fond of it. For Aditya, the larger goal in life is to get well educated. “I like literate people,” he says, “I want to be like them.”
What is the expected total number of beneficiaries in this program for FY18-19? | 2210806 |
What is the number of beneficiaries/ benefits provided in this program, Year-To-Date | 3436000000 |
Village/City/State where project is located | Uttar Pradesh |
Total Budget for the project for FY18-19 | 3919640000 |
Total Expenses for the project YTD | 3435990000 |
30 October, 2018
The Akshaya Patra Foundation's Update
#1
Program Update
The noble cause of The Akshaya Patra Foundation began with serving school lunches to about 1,500 children in 2000 to 5 government schools in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The organisation, known for its dedicated service, now aspires to reach out to 5 million children daily by 2020.
Starting the cause with just 1 van delivering food from a kitchen in Bengaluru across the schools, the Akshaya Patra Foundation now serves over 1.7 million children across 14,173 schools in 12 states across India.
The programme embraced the vision that -
"No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger."
Today, through the partnership with the Government of India and various State Governments, as well as philanthropic donors; the organization runs the world's largest mid-day meal programme. Built on a public-private partnership, Akshaya Patra combines good management, innovative technology and smart engineering to deliver a nutritious and hygienic school lunch.
Story from the field
As she stood there looking at the bunch of medals that she won over the last four years, her eyes twinkled with a sense of achievement. A Std VI student from the Salempur-Pataura Primary School in Kakori, Lucknow, Archana has become an inspiration for children not just in her village, but also in neighboring villages.
Archana's tryst with track-and-field began when she was in Std III in Village Panchayat Primary School in Ramnagar, Lucknow. It was Abdul Rauf -- 'Rauf Sir' for her and the family -- who introduced her to the world of athletics.
In 2016, she participated in four events: long jump, and 100m, 200m, and 400m sprint, and bagged Gold in each of them.
Rauf Sir's contribution to her life has been inspiring and motivating for her. He is full of praises for Archana. "We identified her talent in Std III itself and decided to groom her at the young age," he said. All along, Rauf Sir and other teachers continued to support her; they built a sand pit for her to practice long jump; they helped her with the route, and even ensured that she doesn't miss out on academics because of her practice.
Talking about Akshaya Patra's meals served at school, Archana says, "When I am training, I need to eat a lot of nutritious food. So I am happy that we get it in our school." It is not surprising that she looks forward to Akshaya Patra's food every day. Her favorite is Dal Chawal. Archana wants to join the police force and serve the nation.
"If her father was there," she said, "he would have been very happy. In fact, he would have done much more to see Archana succeed."
Expected total number of beneficiaries in this program for FY18-19 | |
Number of beneficiaries/ benefits provided in this program this year |