Let’s feed the children and end classroom hunger

Investing in early childhood nutrition is a definite strategy whose returns are quite high. Feeding the children with nutritious food should be made mandatory in every country. One part of the world suffers the challenges of obese children while many others struggle to feed the children. In both cases, what needs to be highlighted is that a balanced nutrition contributes in keeping the body healthy and in shape.

School nutrition is thus an integral part of children’s lives since one of the three main meals are consumed in schools. So when NGOs such as Akshaya Patra set out on a mission to feed the hungry, they were thinking of schools and how to connect nutrition with education. As the Foundation strives to feed millions of children who may go hungry, the purpose of education is served simultaneously. 

Nutrition and mental growth

Of course there has been a growing awareness about nutrition, and towards feeding the children, there are still several parts of India where food needs to reach the children. In its mission of feeding the hungry by serving wholesome lunch to school goers, Akshaya Patra found a growing interest among children in not only attending the school but also participating in various academic and extra-curricular activities.

When the children don’t get nourishment, they often find themselves feeling physically dull and complaining. That’s precisely why the organisation stresses donors to get involved or to sponsor a child so each of these children get a chance at both good nutrition and education. Shortage of nutrition such as iron and iodine impairs cognitive development among children. Thus, the meals served are rich in these two nutrients.

Brain foods 

One of the many reasons why feeding the children should be stressed more than anything is that the duration of the shortage of nutrition also plays a vital role in a child’s cognitive development. Children that do not have access to consistent supply of nutritious food are found to be with certain learning disorders. Yogurt, green vegetables, nuts and pulses are some of the brain foods that are recommended by nutritionists for the healthy growth of a child. The meals served by Akshaya Patra are especially prepared keeping these brain foods in mind.

Behavioural development

The pre-school years are considered to be quite dramatic and crucial postnatal brain development period. Here’s when children develop working memory, attention and inhibitory control. Primary school years, on the other hand, have a significant contribution in developing behavioural skills wherein nutritious diet plays a major part.

Keeping these facts in mind, we emphasise upon not only serving wholesome lunch to school children but also spreading awareness about nutrition for children in general. Our donors are made aware of the kind of meals that are needed for children so that they practise a healthy diet even around their own environment. You are welcome to join the cause and contribute. Donate today.

Go Beyond Likes. Act Now!

How many of us go beyond liking a social cause post or appreciating such kind of initiative on social media? Do we make a difference after like a post? UNICEF last year rolled out a 43-second powerful video on hunger awareness ‘Likes don’t save lives.’ It compels you to think hard about the real issues plaguing our world. 

A country’s future lies in its children’s future. And sadly, hunger has been found to be the leading cause of children’s death in India. Also, a study finds that nearly 3,000 children die in India every day because they are underfed. Many children NGOs thus have taken up this cause on war-footing.

With Akshaya Patra, you can physically make a difference in just Rs 950, impacting a child’s life for a whole academic year. Being a Children’s NGO, we are making diligent efforts and taking strong steps to stop hunger. We have already served wholesome meals to over 2 million children so far and still counting. On an everyday basis, we feed more than 1.6 million children in 13,210 schools through our mid-day meal programme. Currently, we are present across 11 states in India.

Here’s how you can do more and make the real impact:

Help a child realise his dream 

Do you think any social issue could be solved by just liking a post? The answer is obviously a no - it won’t have any actual impact. The real difference lies in missions such as that of Akshay Patra that’s accelerating efforts to feed  5 million children per day by year 2020 along with creating wide awareness on hunger. It is our vision to witness a hunger-free India where children are rightfully provided with food and education. It’s a value that’s embedded in all of our staff, volunteers, donors and leaders. Here’s where you can nourish an actual dream of a child and become a true blessing for someone.

Choose to act today

At times, liking a post is a temporary rush to make a difference. While they do create awareness a large scale, the empathy you feel towards the issue eventually subsides. While social media is indeed a great and convenient platform to share, discuss and understand the surroundings, it is also our responsibility to choose to act. A small gesture of volunteering or contribution would bring a child to school.

You can become an NGO Volunteer and practically implement what you have been wanting for years.

Engage at a deeper level

We do spread the word through social media but we aren’t dependent on it. We encourage our donors and volunteers to increase their awareness on hunger by taking actions. The reason why we publish all of our activities and share them transparently is because we do not want just funds for the cause but we want hearts and minds too.  An amount of just Rs. 950 amounts to saving one child from hunger for one entire year.

Akshaya Patra allows you to make both online and offline donations. Help us feed more children and contribute in eliminating child hunger. That’s how you can truly get involved and really stop hunger. You never know how the kind of impact you create can inspire hope and positivity in a child’s life. Begin donating today!

Akshaya Patra Observes World Hunger Day

Hunger is a complex word for children who are starving.  Majority of the children studying in Government schools go without food during lunch hours. For them, satisfying hunger is the major concern than learning. They are ready to go for work with their parents which will fetch them a meagre income.

World Hunger Day is observed every year on 28^th May. The event celebrates sustainable solutions to end extreme hunger and poverty. Studies show that there are millions of children in India who need to earn their own meal at a tender age. Due to this problem, children are unable to attend school. In such a situation mid-day meal served by Akshaya Patra acts a breather for the children.

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme is a Government initiative and under its aegis Akshaya Patra implements the scheme. Understanding that hunger is a hindrance for education and health, the NGO feeds the children with meals rich in nutrients, proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins which are essential for tackling issues of hunger and malnutrition.

Join Akshaya Patra in feeding the hungry children as India is home to the largest number of malnourished children. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) estimates that 48 per cent, or 61 million, under-five children in the country are stunted (they have low height for their age); 43 per cent, or 53 million, are underweight; and nearly 20 per cent, or 25 million, are wasted (low weight for height). Let us stop hunger from claiming the childhood of millions of children. Malnutrition disrupts a child’s mental and physical development – which leads to poor concentration as well as poor critical thinking and creativity.

Hunger is preventable if all of us join hands in supporting Akshaya Patra. If the problem of hunger is solved, children can pursue education as it is the best way to escape poverty. The motive of Akshaya Patra is to stop childhood hunger and thereby support education.

The organisation serves nutritious meals in 24 locations across 10 states of India. In a day, meals are served to 1.5 million children. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is the world's largest not-for-profit organisation providing wholesome mid-day meals. For feeding a child for an entire academic year, it will cost only ₹750.

Support us @ www.akshayapatra.org/world-hunger-day

Read our World Hunger Day blog @ http://blog.akshayapatra.org/our-hope-this-world-hunger-day/