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!

6 Things You Should Know About Akshaya Patra in Hyderabad

“You can’t build a peaceful world on empty stomachs and human misery.” -- Dr. Norman Ernest Borlaug

Did you know that every 10 seconds we lose a child to hunger? Many NGOs are moving in this direction in order to fight off hunger. Akshaya Patra too rose up to the mission of the eradication of hunger at the grass root level. 

Akshaya Patra is a Non-Profit Organisation which runs Mid-Day Meal Programme in government schools and government-aided primary schools for children. The Government of India and various state governments are supporting the organisation to accomplish its goal of feeding millions of children and building a healthy India. Many philanthropic donors have come forward and contributed to this charity for children. The foundation kept its first stone in Bengaluru in the year 2000 and till date it has 25 kitchens across 10 states in India including Telangana. It extended the NGO in Hyderabad by building a centralised kitchen in October 2008. 

Here’s what you need to know about Akshaya Patra in Hyderabad.

1. The first footprints of the NGO in Hyderabad

With the vision “No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger,” Akshaya Patra propelled its branches to 10 states in India including the newly formed 29th state Telangana. It started its centralised kitchen unit in Hyderabad in the year 2008. The Akshaya Patra Kitchen prepares wholesome mid-day meals to government schools and Anganwadi children. 

2. Supplying food to thousands of underfed children

Akshaya Patra in Telangana currently feeds 62,020 children across 463 government schools and 25,768 Anganwadi children every day, through its centralised kitchen in Hyderabad. The NGO has its own 23 custom-made vehicles for the distribution of the mid-day meals to every classroom. Several generous supporters have contributed to Akshaya Patra’s programme of eliminating classroom hunger. It needs more hands to reach out to more children. You may choose to sponsor a child and take responsibility for providing him food and a healthy life. 

3. Inside the Akshaya Patra’s kitchen

The Akshaya Patra’s centralised kitchen in Hyderabad is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery perfected to cook an enormous amount of food for thousands of children at the same time. Though the huge quantity of food is supplied to thousands of classrooms from the single kitchen, the NGO doesn’t compromise with the quality and required nutrition. Feeding the hungry isn’t their only motive; they supply hygienic food containing all the required nutrients to children to ensure a good health. 

4. When a state-wide change began from Hyderabad 

In order to serve its mission of feeding 5 million hungry children by the year 2020, Akshaya Patra started building its kitchen in several states of India including Telangana. The NGO built the state’s first centralised kitchen in Hyderabad and now undertakes this charity for children with support from philanthropic donors along with the support from the state and central government. Hunger hasn’t ended yet but has definitely been thwarted to a great extent and would be rooted out with more support.

5.  Recognition of Akshaya Patra’s work and its kitchen

Several authorities have visited Akshaya Patra's huge centralised kitchen equipped with technologically advanced machinery. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation commissioner for the state visited the kitchen and appreciated the foundation’s endeavor of supplying cooked food to underfed children. The GHMC commissioner was moved by the dedication and efforts of the foundation towards changing the lives of children. Akshaya Patra is indebted to the state and the central government for their immense support.

6. Helping Hyderabad’s charity for children

Akshaya Patra needs more hands for continuing to work in Hyderabad. You may participate in the great cause and support it. You may choose to donate a little part of your income and take the responsibility of a child. 

Sponsoring a child takes Rs 750 that is used to feed a child throughout the year. Besides, on donating Rs 500 or above to Akshaya Patra, you become eligible for 100% tax exemption.

Follow NGO News and Blogs to Stay Updated on Social Issues

It is often said that if there was social justice, there would be no need for social service. Unfortunately, there is a lot of inequality that disrupts social justice. Lacks of awareness on social issues only add to this situation. That’s why NGOs around the globe keep their donors informed through blogs or news attempting to increase a collective knowledge so more people can come forward.

When we think of charity for children, it connects us with issues related to lack of education and hunger. Here’s why supporting charity keeps you informed about social issues:

Social injustice grabs your attention

Even when you have given charity donation just once, you must have noticed how naturally headlines related to specific issues grab your attention. You find yourself reading NGO news and blogs or devouring social stories that impact several lives. You naturally become a more aware citizen especially towards issues of injustice; you share this concern with colleagues and friends inspiring them to contribute as well, unconsciously creating a community of believers of social justice. Many contributors and donors start their own blogs and make others aware of the most pressing social issues around the world.  Akshaya Patra keeps its readers and donors informed about its Mid-Day Meal Programme in its endeavour of a deeper charity for children.

Human beings are reciprocal by nature. We expect something in return for a favour. NGOs like Akshaya Patra provide tax deductions and non-monetary motivation in exchange for a donation. When you contribute, you trigger an unconscious cycle of kindness because you talk about your contribution and share it with others. This gesture inspires many and creates an impression of you that often comes back in the form of small favours and help when you need them most. Moreover, others see you as someone who is concerned about social issues and they may get encouraged to work towards such causes as well.

You push them for accountability

Of course, when you make a conscious contribution, you want to find out all about what that organisation does. This pushes non-profits to improve their processes, do their job more honestly and engage in better management of resources. Donating to a charity indirectly contributes into a transparent ecosystem of social issues where socially aware donors demand more accountability and NGOs implement systems more efficiently. Pick up any NGO blog and you will read several stories where a positive difference was made. At Akshaya Patra too, we are always excited to share amazing stories of hope with our donors as they contribute in charity for children. We want our donors to know that their contribution wasn’t futile.

Charity for children

At Akshaya Patra, it’s our conscious desire to encourage you to understand our Mid-Day Meal Programme, the children who are benefitted by it, and their stories. Through this, you open up to a whole new world of giving where you are aware of the vital concerns related to children.

Make an aware and conscious choice today. Donate to Akshaya Patra.

10 Things to Know About Akshaya Patra in Karnataka

Currently spread across 10 states in India, The Akshaya Patra Foundation (TAPF), an NGO which runs the world’s largest mid-day meal programme, had humble beginnings in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Here’s how its presence in the state grew and strengthened.

1. Akshaya Patra was launched in Namma Bengaluru, Karnataka, in the year 2000, inspired by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s vow that no one within a 10-mile radius of his centre should go hungry.

2. The organisation had a modest start, serving free, healthy and nutritious mid-day meals to the schoolchildren of five government schools in Bengaluru initially. 

3. The road towards feeding children in the state was a rocky one in the early days. However, support arrived in the form of T.V. Mohandas Pa, former member of the Board of Directors of Infosys and currently, the Chairman of Manipal Global Education Services, who donated the first vehicle for transporting cooked food to schools.

4. By 2004, Akshaya Patra had established itself as a formidable NGO in Karnataka and catered to the mid-day meal needs of children in the cities of Hubballi, Mangaluru and Mysuru. In 2006, this charity for children also had a kitchen in Ballari. 

5. Akshaya Patra prepares its tasty and wholesome mid-day meals in its kitchens in Karnataka, where the staff follows a strict protocol for maintaining hygiene. They wear hair caps, face masks, gloves, gum boots and other protective gear, along with showering daily and washing their hands regularly.

6. Four of Akshaya Patra’s kitchens in Karnataka are International Organization for Standardization –certified (ISO). These kitchens are – the HK Hill kitchen and Vasanthapura kitchen in Bengaluru, along with the ones in Ballari and Hubballi.

7. The Karnataka kitchens of Akshaya Patra are all centralised kitchens that are able to produce up to one million meals. They utilise minimal human intervention, as they are mechanised cooking units.

8. Karnataka has the highest number of Akshaya Patra’s beneficiaries. In Bengaluru, the HK Hill kitchen feeds 92,856 children in 466 schools, while the Vasanthapura kitchen feeds 101,635 children in 534 schools. The Hubballi kitchen cooks mid-day meals for 149,573 children in 789 schools; the Mangaluru kitchen prepares meals for 22,602 children in 147 schools, while the Mysuru kitchen feeds 16,668 schoolchildren in 66 schools. The Ballari kitchen cooks meals for 126,382 children in 534 schools. 

9. Numerous dignitaries have visited Akshaya Patra’s kitchens in Karnataka. These include former Indian President, the late APJ Abdul Kalam; Nobel laureate Muhammed Yunus, musicians Sona Mohapatra and Ram Sampath, among others.

10. Akshaya Patra’s pilot initiative, Giving Every Dream A Chance, where The Foundation makes the dreams of school children come true by organising a month-long mentorship programme for them, was launched in Karnataka.

Giving – A Hallmark of the Extraordinary

In these times of fast cars and faster jobs, a sense of forlornly meandering through a mindless existence often sets in. Leisure, pleasure and privilege often find themselves helpless against this undercurrent. One thing, done in however small a quantity, that always warms the spirit and lifts it, is the act of giving. Those who feed the hungry or donate to charity, offering financial aid or time and resources, will vouch for the exhilaration they feel upon making worthy contributions. Giving undoubtedly makes one an extraordinary individual – in their own eyes as well as in the eyes of others.

One might scoff at the surety with which the statement has been articulated, but there are numerous reasons why it stands true. Firstly, one’s self-image is of paramount importance. Ironic though it is, giving enhances one’s self-worth because the act puts others before oneself. In a world that believes that individuals are wired to be selfish, doing something truly selfless makes one remarkable indeed. Secondly, with the suffering, wealth disparity and wars that are a common fixture, the smallest measure, be it charity fundraising or sponsoring the education of an underprivileged child, matters in making the world a kinder place.

Charity is also a mutually beneficial relationship for all those involved in the exchange. It helps one connect with individuals who are in a vastly different place in life as compared to themselves. This gives one the power that is rare indeed – one to empathise with one’s fellow beings, rather than just sympathise with them. Empathy – the ability to truly understand the other person by putting oneself in his/her shoes – is a hallmark of a mind that has grown and evolved. It allows one to be humane, instead of just human.

In the age of materialism, giving also helps one manage its stresses and uncertainties by nudging one towards the spiritual. Spiritual wellbeing is as important as material success. Giving, which helps one look beyond oneself to the oneness of the universe, is a spiritual activity that helps individuals love and be at peace with themselves. The greatest minds in the world have all extolled the benefits of charity, and now, scientific research backs these ideas, which go back thousands of years. Giving, in its essence, is a way towards self-realisation.

Help nourish a schoolchild’s dream of uninterrupted education by supporting Food for Education. Donate to Akshaya Patra for mid-day meal programme now!