I Am Destined To Be An Achiever - Hope Story Of A Girl Child

 

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme in India is the world’s largest school meal programme. In the past more than two decades of its implementation, this scheme has remarkably impacted the education scenario in the country with regards to enrolment, attendance, and completion of school education. The objective of this scheme is to provide nutritious lunch to children in government schools and government-aided schools. Studies reveal that regular consumption of mid-day meals positively impacted health and learning outcomes of children.

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme in India has not only contributed to nutrition and education of children hailing from socio-economically weaker sections of the society, but also instilled hope and given wings to their aspirations.

This is one core reason why many NGOs totalling over 400 are implementing this scheme in their own capacities. Among them is The Akshaya Patra Foundation that has been nourishing children since 2000. This NGO in India has been consistently serving nutritious school meals with the aim to expand its reach to benefit more children. Currently, it provides daily school meals to 18,00,907 children studying in 19,039 government schools and government-aided schools across 60 locations in 14 States and 2 Union Territories.

“I am destined to be an achiever” – these words of determination
reflect the power of one nutritious meal per school day.

Meet Sneha, a 13-year-old beneficiary of AkshayaPatra studying in Standard VIII, M.P. Prathamika Pathashala in Telangana’s Mehboobnagar. For a child of her age, she is fearless, but that stems from hardships she has witnessed with a father who is an alcoholic. In her words, “My father comes home drunk every day. On the days when he does not return, I let my mother stay home and I go in search of him. It’s a dark and dingy place where he goes to drink, but I do not fear that place anymore. I am no more the timid girl who got shouted at by my father and helplessly watched my mother getting berated.”

After suffering silently for many years, Sneha received support from her teachers and friends. This gave her the strength to take a firm stand against her father and now she constantly reminds him of his responsibilities towards the family. This has made her father cautious of his actions. Sneha says, “My circumstances at home have taught me many lessons. It has made me an independent girl and I do not depend on my father or mother for anything. If I can walk seven kilometres daily to school, then I can do anything on my own.”

For Sneha, school is her getaway place where she finds the peace that’s missing at home and school meals are her energy boosters. She relishes her school meals with her friends and her all-time favourites are vegetable sambar and rice.

Talking about her aspiration, Sneha says, “I don’t want anybody to become like my father who left the family to suffer. Everyone needs a guide to tell or inspire them to do good or carry out their duties properly. That’s why I want to be a teacher. I want to guide children and mould them into better human beings. I want to teach them to perform their duties well.”

School is a place that children like Sneha look forward to every morning,
not just for education, but for support and nutrition too.

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme in India has been the key reason in bringing children from challenging backgrounds to school. Once at school, they get the opportunity to learn, eat nutritious food, and give shape to their ambitions.

Sneha was just one story of determination among lakhs. And as a mid-day meal NGOin India, Akshaya Patra wants to serve as many children as possible. Step in to support by instantly contributing an online donation. Your contribution will create an empowered generation by enabling children to achieve their ambitions and it will avail you tax exemption too (applicable for donations of ₹500 and above).

Akshaya Patra's Role in International Day of Women and Girls in Science

 Gender equality and science go hand in hand. Though there have been several initiatives across the globe regarding women empowerment in the field of science, yet we have a long way to go. In order to support scientific temperament, ensure equal access to and participation in science among girls and women, the United Nations General Assembly declared 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in 2015. The 7^th International Day of Women and Girls in Science that is being observed in 2022 will focus on the theme of “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Water Unites Us" in an effort to make progress towards achievement of UN SDG Goal 6, i.e., Clean Water and Sanitation.

Women empowerment in the field of science is possible only when we nurture scientific temperament among girls from a young age. While there are several organisations, both academic and charitable working specifically on the cause of enabling girls and women to have a future in science, there are several NGOs who are boosting school education to give a strong foundation. One such organisation is The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an Indian NGO implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme across the country since past 21 years. The Foundation is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka and has its presence across 14 States & 2 Union Territories of India. Currently, Akshaya Patra provides nutritious mid-day meals to 18,00,907 children studying in 19,039 government schools and government-aided schools. The sole reason that motivates Akshaya Patra to keep striving to nourish children every day is the aspirations of its beneficiaries. So, the objective of this Foundation is not only to feed the children, but to support their nutritional intake and health so that they are physically fit to learn well and attend school regularly. Several impact studies on the effectiveness of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme have revealed that regular intake of nutritious school meals boosts health, improves regularity to school and concentration in class, and improves performance in academic and co-curricular activities.

Aside from implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme to feed the children, Akshaya Patra time and again collaborates with reputed academic, arts and music, sports, and other philanthropic organisations to broaden the horizon and support aspirations of its beneficiaries. Recently, Akshaya Patra has collaborated with BYJU’s that will bridge the digital divide and enable accessibility to quality education free of cost for children hailing from economically weaker sections. When donors donate to NGO or when organisations collaborate as knowledge partners, they directly impact the development and lives of the beneficiaries. Below is a mention of a few girl beneficiaries who see their future in the field of science:

-          “I want to be a Doctor and provide free treatment to poor people”, says Sujita of Standard III, CPS Primary School, Silvassa, Daman.

-          “I want to give confidence to people who are insecure about their looks. I want to become a Cosmetic Surgeon and be the best that Odisha has”, says Roshni of Higher Primary School, Odisha.

-          “I want to become a Dentist, open my own clinic, and be counted among the top dentisits”, says Shyaali of Standard VIII, Ekaathmanagar School, Nagpur.

-          “I want to be a Nutritionist and educate people on proper meal planning and its role in keeping oneself free from diseases. I want to guide people on the importance of nutrition”, says Megha of Standard VII, GMHPS, Bellandur, Bengaluru.

On this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, step in to support health and education of girl children. Donate to NGO and become an enabler of dreams. Step in now to feed the children with nutritious meals on each school day. Your donation will create an empowered generation and will reward you with tax exemption too (applicable for donations of ₹500 and above).

5 things that change when girls are educated

 

Hamsa was very cautious not to make any noise. She whispered to her mother while she boiled the rice for lunch, saying “Amma! Donga (Robber).” She wondered which robber would want to rob them since they don’t have anything expensive. A voice reminded her of what was taught in her school in Telangana, why should anyone rob in the first place? This small lesson changed her vision and mission of life.

A mid-day meal beneficiary, 14-year-old Hamsa from Telangana wants to be a Police Officer.

Oprah Winfrey said, “When you educate a girl, you begin to change the face of the nation.” And this saying has meaning to it because when you educate a woman, she becomes able and independent thereby raising self-reliant citizens. Provide food for education of a girl child, she will feed herself, her family, her community and the entire country. 

5 things that change when you educate a girl child

1.    Educated girls make informed decisions about marriage

Researchers from the International Centre for Research on Women and the World Bank found a strong relationship with educating a girl and her marriage. This means that when a girl receives constant education, she will make a conscious decision of when she wants to marry and that usually avoids child marriage.

The study also shows that educated girls tend to have lesser children and choose to bear children at a later stage of life. 

2.    Educated girls bring economic stability to their family

Generally, a working woman knows how to run her house and how much is needed to do so. When you educate a girl at a young age, she becomes aware of the importance of saving money. When she learns to save as a young woman, she learns how to allocate her budget and manage expenses for the long term. 

3.    Educated girls support the education of others

When you educate a girl child, she becomes aware of the benefits of education as she grows up into an adult. She in turn takes a stand to educate her children equally, irrespective of their gender. 

4.    Education improves a girl’s health and her family’s health

Education that involves basic education along with sexual education makes them aware of sexually transmitted diseases and adolescent pregnancies. Education helps them with critical thinking, decision-making skills, responsibilities and also reinforces gender equality. These children also seek healthcare for themselves and their families. 

5.    Education gives wings to a girl’s dreams

When a girl is educated, she becomes aware that her dreams can also come true. Education is the medium that catapults them to a brighter future. An educated girl becomes an empowered woman who has the capacity to steer her life, her community and the world too. 

Role of NGOs in empowering girls

There are thousands of non-profit organisations that work towards educating girl children and making their lives better. The role of NGOs includes a wide range of opportunities that help empower them with food and education. Some NGOs help girl children by:

Ø  Freely living their life with a sense of self-worth, respect and dignity.

Ø  Having equal rights to participate in religious, social and public activities,

Ø  Having equal social status in the society as men

Ø  Having equal rights for economic and social justice

Ø  Determining financial choices

Ø  Getting equal opportunity for education and employment without any gender bias

Ø  Getting a safe and comfortable working environment 

Akshaya Patra – an NGO in India that cares for girl children

TheAkshaya Patra Foundation is an NGO in India that is recognised for running the world’s largest NGO-run school meal programme. By providing nutritious mid-day meals to support food for education for both boys and girls, it brings gender equality in the minds of young children. Locally palatable meals are served to them so that there is no wastage of food.

During the times of the pandemic and when schools remain closed in some states, the Foundation also provides Happiness Kits to them. Every girl child receives immunity boosters that support her health, hygiene essentials like sanitary pads and soap along with activity books that will keep them occupied and not lose touch with studies. 

Let’s support girl children as they also deserve to dream and achieve as they grow up from being educated girls to empowered women. 

Make an online donation to support an organisation to help them expand their operations to reach out to more girl children because an empowered girl means an empowered nation. 

If more information is needed on tax benefits of donating under section 80g of income tax act click here