How Akshaya Patra’s Mid-day Meal Programme Supports Education

How Akshaya Patra’s Mid-day Meal Programme
Supports Education
To feed the hungry children in Government schools, NGO provides
nutritious meals which enhance level of concentration and nutritional
requirements of the children. Hunger and malnutrition, which are
obstacles to children’s health, education and survival, are tackled by
Akshaya Patra’s mid-day meals.
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The Akshaya Patra Foundation© (2016) All Rights Reserved

“Students can’t focus if their stomachs hurt because they are hungry.”-
Diane Gillen
Children from low income families study in government schools as
education is provided free to them. Still a large percentage of children do
not attend schools as they can’t concentrate with hungry stomachs. Most
of the children accompany their parents to their work places for a meagre
income which will enable them to fulfil their hunger. Thus these children
end up as a drop-out putting their future at stake.
Acknowledging this burning issue, Akshaya Patra serves mid-day meals
in partnership with The Government of India and various State
Governments. The organisation feeds 1.5 million school children in
11,360 Government schools and Government-aided schools every day.
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The Akshaya Patra Foundation© (2016) All Rights Reserved

The need for an adequate meal
Without adequate food with proper nutritional values, a child cannot
concentrate in class and memorize what he is taught. It leads to lower
IQ and learning disabilities. The Akshaya Patra mid-day meals meet the
nutritional requirements essential for the growth and development of a
child. Hot, nutritious and hygienic meals are delivered with prescribed
calories. Adequate supply of micro nutrients as iron, folic acid, zinc,
fibre, essential fatty acids, calcium, carbohydrates, protein and vitamin
A are supplemented through lunch servings with roti, rice khichdi, curd
rice, vegetable pulao, mixed vegetable curry, sambar, dal, rasam etc.
Nine varieties of dal, five varieties of pulses, soy chunks and different
varieties of nutritious vegetables are added into the sambar. The rice
and wheat served, meets adequate standards as prescribed by The
Government of India. As the organisation understands that the mid-day
meal is the only proper meal of the day for many of the children in a
government school, unlimited food with high nutritional value are
served.
The procedure to serve a nutritious meal
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The Akshaya Patra Foundation© (2016) All Rights Reserved

The vegetables are washed properly and stored in refrigerator to retain
its nutritious value. A complete quality inspection is done to meet with
Akshaya Patra’s Raw Material Specifications, adopted from the Food
Safety Standards Act 2006 (FSSA). All the kitchen equipment are
sanitised before usage. All the food items are transferred hot into the
vessels untouched by hands.
Each meal is cooked and transported under hygienic conditions by
customised delivery vans which transport mid-day meals to various
schools at the right time. Meals are delivered in stainless steel
containers which keeps food hot and fresh for long intervals. Every
vehicle is steam-sterilised before the loading. The vehicles have a
puffed body to reduce loss of temperature. The honeycomb structure
inside, holds the vessels upright and keeps the freshness of the cooked
meal intact. This is how every nutritious meal is served warm and
fresh.
The lunch at school is a bonus that motivates children to stay at school.
The mid-day meal programme aims at enhancing enrolment, level of
concentration and meets nutritional necessities of the children. So
hunger, which is an obstacle to health, education and a bright future
are tackled by mid-day meals with high nutritious value.
It is our responsibility as part of the society to support NGO with
donation. It’s our responsibility to help the cause of fighting
malnutrition, hunger and promoting education. It’s our responsibility to
feed the hungry children.
For more details visit: www.akshayapatra.org
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The Akshaya Patra Foundation© (2016) All Rights Reserved