The Beginning Of Akshaya Patra Foundation

The Beginning Of Akshaya Patra Foundation

All this while, we have been rendering inspirational studies about little kids who are able to build their dreams mainly due to the free mid - day meal that they get from The Akshaya Patra Foundation. Now let ' s take a peek into how this entire plan that feeds 1. 3 million children in our country came about. Let us get an insight into how the idea of a mid - day meal scheme grew in leaps and senses to become Akshaya Patra Foundation.

While on a recent visit to the first five schools that The Akshaya Patra Foundation started convincing at, we met Venu Vadana Gopal Das, the individual who went in search of schools that required the free mid - day meal facility. " Once the idea was conceptualised, I was asked to go test surrounding areas in Bangalore and find out about the need for a mid - day meal plan. I knew that the outskirts and rural areas will be our prime targets. I visited Government schools in areas matching Peenya, Chikkabidarakally and Makali and was moved by the plight of the kids there " he reminisced.
" Then we approached these schools and recorded the attendance and started active. It was just five schools that Akshaya Patra Foundation served at in the beginning. It was on 3rd July, 2000 that we first fed to these schools; a total of 1500 children, " he oral.

When asked about the major challenges that Akshaya Patra Foundation faced in the beginning, Venu Vadana Gopal Das oral, " Our main challenge was the deprivation of vessels for rice and sambar, and a vehicle to transport the food. We had to hire transport vehicles from outside and send food from The Akshaya Patra Foundation. However, thanks to the support from the Government and also volunteers who donated generously and today we are able to feed 1. 3 million children. Akshaya Patra Foundation hopes to feed all the children in our country and wipe out classroom hunger. "
The Akshaya Patra Foundation implements the mid - day meal scheme beneath the backing of Central Government and various State Governments. Though the principal role of Akshaya Patra Foundation is to fit out mid - day meal, yet it very emphasizes on education too. " No child in India shall be deprived of education owing to of fervor " is the vision account of the Akshaya Patra Foundation.
Currently, the total distance of Akshaya Patra Foundation can be witnessed in 19 locations of 9 states in India namely Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. On the whole the Akshaya Patra Foundation in India feeds in more than 9000 Government schools, every day.

Apart from the primary mid - day meal calendar, Akshaya Patra Foundation has also taken up other feeding initiatives alike:

I. Feeding expecting and lactating mothers
II. Feeding in exceptional schools
III. Subsidized lunch for the economically backward
IV. Feeding runaway children
V. Feeding in old - age homes
VI. Feeding the troglodytic
VII. Adversity relief


Social initiatives consonant after - class tuitions, life skills scheme, community health camps, scholarship programmes, trouble relief and health check - up camps also find its place in the Akshaya Patra Foundation.

The many positive impacts the mid - day meal scheme has brought about are substantial. Increase in number of primary school enrolments, choice daily school attendance, better concentration and performance level of the children and visible decrease in school drop - out standard are the core areas of achievement of this scheme. Through the implementation of the mid - day meal scheme Akshaya Patra Foundation strives to counter the twin challenges of hunger and illiteracy.

The mission of Akshaya Patra Foundation is to feed 5 million children by 2020 and through the motto of " Unlimited food for education " Akshaya Patra Foundation is gradually treading towards nourishing the future of India.