What does it take to deliver a hygienic midday meal

 

I snoozed my alarm. I was still so sleepy and tired. It was probably the medicines that showed its effect on my body. I was still recovering from the last week’s fall at home.

Today is the first day I went after this incident.

So I decided to wake up even before the next alarm went off.

There was a sharp shooting pain in my left leg. I found it difficult to move from one place to another; walking to the bathroom took me a good 5 minutes. I was worried about how I will perform in the kitchen today.

I got dressed up and was ready to leave home by 4.30 in the morning. I do not fear contracting the virus, I am not worried because my company – The Akshaya Patra Foundation ensured my safety by arranging vaccination for all its employees.

I reached the kitchen premise.

And my drill began.

I stood in line to get my temperature checked.

One of my colleagues had a slightly higher temperature than what was accepted, so he was asked to go back home.

It was my turn; the security guy checked my temperature. He asked me how I was doing. I didn’t know even the security guy knew about the accident.

I moved ahead to sanitise my hand.

 

Everyone was smiling and asking about me, I felt like a celebrity!

 

I tied my hair into a bun and put on the headgear. We all were asked to do this every day without fail because this was a midday meal NGO, and hygiene is of utmost priority here. Whether employees work in a centralised kitchen or a decentralised kitchen, headgear, masks and gloves are compulsory. After I was geared up with the head cap, I went ahead to wash my hands.

As I was washing my hands with soap and humming a song, Thaayamma joined me. I missed her! She reminds me of my deceased aunt.

 

Thaayamma: Yenamma Sridevi! How are you feeling now?

Me: I am fine akka. I just find it difficult to walk and sit these days.

Thaayamma: Oh is it? Maybe we can talk to the Supervisor to give you a chair for a few days.

Me: Is that possible? It’s never happened before.

Thaayamma:  Don’t worry! Ours is a centralised kitchen, I am sure we can find a chair for you to work on.

 

She went out of her way to take permission from the Supervisor and help me sit on a chair for me to work on.

 

I love my job here at Akshaya Patra! Every individual is respected and taken care of.

 

Everyone was so welcoming; like I had come back from a long weekend. It makes me so happy to come here every single day.

 

I stretched my hands as I was going to begin work after a long gap of 4 days. My task for today was cutting Mangaluru cucumbers, while Thaayamma was assigned carrots, Sarita with drumsticks and the rest beans, onions and tomatoes. The menu for today was Krishnamruth sambar with steamed rice.

 

The cook was shouting around asking all of us to hurry up, else Akshaya Patra – a midday meal NGO would be late to serve midday meals to children. As the rice was being steamed and the supervisor was checking on the seasoning ingredients, we had visitors in the kitchen. I heard from others that they had contributed earlier, and wanted to donate online this year too, but wanted to check on the quality and hygiene of the centralised kitchen. I glanced around the room, the visitor was a woman.

 

The visitor was not wearing a head cap. We were not so worried but could not deny the fact that even a strand of hair in the kitchen would raise a red flag. The supervisor came forward and politely handed over the head cap to her which she obliged.

 

It was a relief!

 

One helper was assigned to wash the vegetables in flowing water, twice. He then moved all the cleaned and washed chopping boards, knives and utensils to all of us.

 

Can you imagine washing hundreds of kilos of rice, dals and other legumes every day?

 

For cooking this sambar for around 5000 primary children coming from poor sections of society, we use close to 115kgs of different types of dals. As I was lost in doing my work in a rhythmic manner along with others, we cut close to 150kgs of vegetables; I forgot about my pain. After almost an hour of cutting and chopping, we all were finally done for the day.

 

It was almost 5.45 in the morning. I could smell the dals cooking in the cauldrons. I am glad that I am a part of this organisation that feeds children who otherwise do not get to eat anything nutritious or wholesome in one day. I hope I get the strength to come to this kitchen every day, no matter what situation I am in or what virus hits society.

I will continue working for the betterment of children!

 

Conclusion

This is just a glimpse of what Sridevi’s day in the kitchen is; this goes on every single day. Employees of Akshaya Patra work tirelessly, day after another to ensure that young children are fed with hot and nutritious meals. Donate online to support this midday meal NGO that feeds 1.8 million children every day.

Hope Stories Of 3 Children – A Reflection Of The Impact Of Mid-Day Meals

 

The Mid-Day Meal Programme has been one of the most crucial and impactful initiatives in the education sector. The main objective of this programme is to feed the children with nutritious meals, improve their health and support their education.

Akshaya Patra’s intervention

The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an Indian mid-day meal NGO has been nourishing school children for the past 21 years. It is one of the pioneers in implementing the Mid-Day Meal Programme in partnership with the central government, various state governments, and administrations of union territories. Currently, it provides mid-day meals to 18,00,907 children on each school day across 60 locations in 14 States and 2 Union Territories.

Even during the COVID-19 lockdown, Akshaya Patra found a way to feed the children. The Foundation started distributing Happiness Kits to its beneficiaries across India. Each kit consisted nutritious food items, learning materials and hygiene products.

Impact of mid-day meals

Mid-day meals have significantly boosted enrolment, regular attendance, performance of children, and their overall health. It has also contributed towards reduction in drop-out rate. Regularity of mid-day meals and schooling improves health and instils a sense of confidence in children respectively. Below are three stories that clearly showcases the significance of Mid-Day Meal Programme:

·         Sneha, Standard VIII, MP Prathamika Pathashala, Telangana says, “I want to be a teacher who can mould children to become better human beings and perform their duties well.” Her ambition stems from the hardships she has faced, especially with a father who is an alcoholic. She voices out firmly that her father’s irresponsibility towards the family resulted in innumerable difficulties. And she opines that nobody should be like her father who leaves their family to suffer. After years of silently suffering, Sneha received support from her teachers and friends who helped her to take a firm stand against her father. For her, school is like a haven where she finds the peace that is missing at home, and the school meals are her energy boosters. She loves to eat with her friends and vegetable sambar and rice are her favourite.

·         Prajesh, CPS Gujarati Medium School, Daman says, “I want make India a better place. I want to become a Prime Minister like Narendra Modi.” When Prajesh’s family shifted from Surat to Daman, his main worry was whether the schools in Daman would be as good as the one he was studying in currently. So, on day one, when he went to his new school in Daman, his first question to the teacher was “How is the education here?” Not only was the teacher surprised, but she was also glad to have found a promising student. Though Prajesh is a shy boy, yet he doesn’t shy away from suggesting ideas to improve a situation or a process. He has suggested a voting system to select head boy and head girl of the school. He also actively participated in the election campaign of the village head in his locality. While he is getting used to his new home, school, and friends, he says, “Since I come from Bareilly, I did not like the food here earlier, but now, I love it because of Akshaya Patra. I feel it is very similar to what I used to have in Surat. My favourite is roti and subzi.” 

·         Sujita, Standard III, CPS Primary School, Silvassa, Daman says, “I want to be a doctor and provide free treatment to poor people.” Sujita lives with her grandparents and had been waiting for her parents until recently when are grandfather revealed the hard truth. He told Sujita, “Your father had left you with us after your mother remarried. And since then, none of your parents have come to see you.” A young child, but with a strong heart, Sujita accepted the reality and always puts up a smile that hides all her struggles. Witnessing the difficulties her grandfather underwent to get treatment for her grandmother, she decided to become a doctor so that she can provide free treatment to poor people.

Step in to support

When you provide mid-day meal, you not only feed thechildren, but also facilitate their education an enable them to achieve their ambitions. Step in to support the efforts of this NGO in India by instantly contributing an online donation. Your contribution will create an empowered generation and will avail you tax exemption too (applicable for donations of ₹500 and above).

Contribute To The Society By Starting A Virtual Fundraising Campaign

 

Day in and day out, we hear and read about issues that blocks our society from making optimum progress. We also hear about individuals and organisations that are working to counter those obstacles and transform lives of direct beneficiaries and uplift the society as a whole. The inclination and commitment of such individuals and organisations reinstate that ‘giving back to society’ is not only a moral duty, but a social responsibility too.

How much to give?

Almost all of us would like to contribute to some or the other social initiative, and many of us are doing so already. In the space of charity, each contribution matters. Just like every drop of water makes the ocean, every donation facilitates the work of charitable organisations. For instance, if we are donating to a charitable organisation that strives to feed the hungry, they will be as much dependent on a ₹500 donation as on a ₹10,000 donation. What matters is ‘donate with all your heart’.

While we all want to be as generous as possible, there may be times when we may not be able to contribute the needed or desired funds. In such cases, online fundraising campaigns can be quite promising.

Get together for a cause

Charitable organisations and NGOs are highly dependent on donations to operate, sustain, and expand their work with the core objective of creating maximum impact. When you donate to NGO, you become a part of the solution, and when you encourage others to contribute, you become an inspiration. It is said ‘more the merrier’ and this notion perfectly fits when it is about doing good for the society. So, connect and collaborate with like-minded people to raise funds through virtual fundraising campaigns. 

Start a fundraising campaign 

A fundraising campaign is an effective way to spread awareness about a cause, garner support & maximise impact. Thanks to digitisation for opening up a better opportunity to create awareness and garner support from larger network of people from the across the world. We can create a campaign, promote it on various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. and call in for support. 

Almost all NGOs encourage online fundraising campaigns that can be created in just a few clicks. For instance, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a reputed mid-day meal NGO in India provides a platform for supporters to conduct fundraising for their various feeding programmes. Akshaya Patra has been nourishing school children with nutritious meals for the past 21 years. Currently, it provides mid-day meals to 18,00,907 children on each school day across 58 locations in 13 States and 1 Union Territory. Akshaya Patra has always been in the forefront to provide food relief during crisis situations like natural disasters and COVID-19 pandemic. 

Some of the common reasons for supporters to start campaigns for Akshaya Patra are:

-          To celebrate special occasions like birthdays, wedding anniversaries, promotions, or any other important milestones in life.

-          To celebrate different festivals and commemorate important national & international days

-          To raise funds for Akshaya Patra’s Mid-Day Meal Programme to provide regular school meals to children & Relief Programmes to feed the hungry during natural disasters and more recently amid the COVID pandemic 

Akshaya Patra has kept the online fundraising process simple to support the efforts of campaigners. So, you can make an impact in just 3 steps.

1.      Create campaign - Sign in/register with required details & start your campaign.

2.      Ask for support - Create online & offline awareness. Share the campaign link on your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsApp or talk about it in your network.

3.      Raise funds - Talk about the impact of donation & raise funds to support Akshaya Patra.

When you fundraise and donate to NGO like Akshaya Patra, you directly help in the organisation’s efforts to feed the hungry and ensure food security amid crisis situations. 

In conclusion, fundraising campaigns are a great way to create maximum impact by enabling people around you to participate in the upliftment and development of the entire society. Go ahead and start a campaign now!

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

What Republic day means to children

 

India celebrates its 73^rd Independence Day on 26^th January 2022 like every other day amid the crisis. On this day, the Indian Constitution came into existence in 1950. The Constitution of India is a huge document that lays down the powers, duties, fundamental rights, procedures and directive principles of The Government of India and its citizens.

 Celebrations of Republic Day in India

·         The Republic Day parade is the star of the show

·         The President of the country hoists the flag, presents bravery awards to citizens of India

·         The Prime Minister of India pays homage to all the soldiers who have lost their lives in the wars

·         The three divisions of the Indian Armed Forces – Air Force, Navy and Indian Army, lead the parade and is followed by a rally of marching soldiers, aircraft shows, military bands, etc. 

Communities, apartments, associations, schools, etc. hoist flags in their premises to remember and honour the day that the Constitution was adopted.

 Republic Day in schools of India

RepublicDay is a day when children of Government and Government-aided schools get something more than midday meals. It is a special day for young children which is celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm. Children enact the roles of being freedom fighters, participate in debates favouring these brave souls and sing in their praise.  

 

Though children might be hesitant to come to schools on a national holiday, most of them come for something special. Apart from midday meals, children also wait for sweets to be distributed as sweets and snacks are a luxury for these children who hardly get to eat one square meal a day. In some places, it is the day where an NGO in India might take care of the food and snacks of one or two schools, while others make children aware of their history and freedom fighters.

Children who come to school and enjoy it everyday

For some children, coming to school is an absolute necessity. School is the only place that helps them think, learn and achieve as the situations in their house does not permit them to exceed. Coming to school guarantees that they are not becoming victims of child labour and that they become educated enough to become self-dependent. Midday meals provided at schools ensure that they come back to school every single day and Republic Day is a special occasion for these children.

           Sachin wants to be a Pilot

Growing from being a malnourished child who did not have any energy and zeal to do anything in life to becoming a sharp child who takes part in all curricular activities, 9-year-old Sachin wants to become a Pilot and make lots of money for his parents. He gives all the credit for his betterment to his teachers, friends and one specific NGO in India that served school meals every day.

 

Sujita wants to become a doctor

Having no parents to raise her does not make her feel vulnerable; Sujita was raised by her grandfathers. Though they can’t give everything, they enrolled her to a school that could give wings to her dreams. All her food needs are taken care of by her school in Silvassa. She loves coming to school as it keeps her focused to learn and work towards achieving her dreams of becoming a doctor.

 

Prajesh wants to be a Prime Minister

Prajesh is a young boy who is a huge fan of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Very focused on achieving his dreams, he wants to do a lot for the nation. He does not miss even one day of school as he does not want to be diverted in his studies. Food and education was something very important to him after moving from Bareilly to Daman and he was very happy. 

A few common things in these children – they have dreams and eat school meals provided by one NGO in India – The Akshaya Patra Foundation.

To read more such stories of children, click here.

 Akshaya Patra is an NGO that serves school meals to children coming from challenging socio-economic backgrounds. It is renowned for running the world’s largest NGO run school lunch programme, serving freshly cooked nutritious mid-day meals to over 1.8 million children in 19,039 schools of 14 states & 1 union territory of India. For the last 21 years, it has been serving nutritious and locally palatable meals to school children studying in Government and Government-aided schools.

 There are many such students who need the support of midday meals to come to schools everyday. Let’s support their food and education with this NGO in India that implements the midday meal scheme in India.

 John F Kennedy’s historic words were, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” This Republic Day, let’s support the dreams of young children who dream big in life. Donate online to Akshaya Patra to reach out to more children who need support.