Dreams of children who want to touch the skies

Monika - Feeding their Dreams

The future of a nation depends on its youth and children are the pillars. When encouraged at a very young age, healthy children grow up into being healthy adults. Their development lies in our hands and healthy food provides them with holistic development.

Feeding children gives them the required nourishment and nutrition that is essential for them to grow into responsible citizens.

22% of children younger than five are ‘stunted’ – they are significantly shorter than the average for their age, as a consequence of poor nutrition or repeated infection.

https://ourworldindata.org/hunger-and-undernourishment

NGOs worldwide work towards reducing the above number. The Akshaya Patra Foundation works to tackle malnutrition, education and hunger. The Foundation addresses two issues simultaneously – food and education. The organisation serves freshly cooked meals through the Hunger Programme in the UK and Food for Education in India.

Akshaya Patra takes care of the nutritional requirements by feeding healthy meals to children. To avoid wastage of food among children, locally palatable meals are served. The Foundation has tied up with various holiday clubs to make sure that children don’t stay hungry during school breaks.

Here are some stories of children who enjoy their freshly served meals given by Akshaya Patra.

Vanaja wants to be an Agriculture Officer

Vanaja - Akshaya Patra Beneficiary - Stories of Hope

13-year-old daughter to a farmer, Vanaja wants to become an Agriculture Officer. She says, “You never know when the hard work will pay off or whether it will be fruitful or not.” She is grateful to Akshaya Patra for providing freshly prepared mid-day meals in her school. She accepts that these school meals fill her with energy throughout the day and after school too.

Kapil dreams of becoming an Army Officer

Kapil - Akshaya Patra Beneficiary - Stories of Hope

Swift in his actions and clear in his priorities, Kapil from Mathura aspires of joining the Indian Army when he grows up. Born as a male child to a father who is a coolie and a mother who is a housewife, he has too many responsibilities on his shoulders. But he is focussed on his goals and credits his school meals for his improved concentration. He says, “I prefer mid-day meals over home-cooked food. Mid-day meals taste better.”

Bhoomi wants to become a singer

Bhoomi - Akshaya Patra Mid-day meal beneficiaries.

12-year old Bhoomi is already a star of her school in Thane. She enjoys singing since it calms her mind and keeps her in a chirpy mood. She says, “I like coming to school because my friends and I are of the same age. And my troubles seem very tiny when I am with them.” She misses her mother but the food served by Akshaya Patra is so close to her mother’s home-cooked food that she feels closer to her.

Meals bring a sense of optimism to the lives of children. Your online donations help children realise that their dreams are achievable and important. Akshaya Patra’s meals are an intervention that keeps children on a full stomach even during holidays.

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