Akshaya Patra in Uttar Pradesh Lifting Hopes

The greatest motto in our life should be to sacrifice our wellbeing and welfare for others. Children are the wealth of our nation hence dedicating our lives for their betterment should be our purpose in life. There are many students in government schools who cannot pursue education for hunger. 

In India, alarmingly, Uttar Pradesh has one of the maximum out of school children between the age group 6-14; this includes dropouts as well as children who have never attended school. The state also reports to have the lowest enrolment rates from the economically weaker and disadvantaged children. 

Akshaya Patra’s mid-day meal in Uttar Pradesh serves as a bonus for the students which would enable them to study. There are many students who attend school only for the free meal which would be their only proper meal.

This NGO in Uttar Pradesh systematically serves mid-day meal to its beneficiaries through its two ISO centralised kitchens at Vrindavan and Lucknow. The Vrindavan kitchen serves 166,078 children at 1,870 schools. The second kitchen was set up by the NGO in Lucknow which was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of the state, Shri Akhilesh Yadav. It serves 11,373 children of 110 schools in and around the city of Lucknow. Together the kitchen serves 1436,596 children across 10872 schools. The kitchens produce food in huge quantity up to 60,000 rotis, 10,000 litres of dal and 7 tonnes of cooked rice in just two hours. Roti, pulao, dal, soya chunk khadi, khichdi and different varieties of vegetable gravies which are nutritious and wholesome are served to the beneficiaries of Uttar Pradesh. 

Let us hear what the beneficiaries have to say of this NGO in Uttar Pradesh.

Rohit, a seven-year-old student started coming to school just two years back hearing of the mid-day meal. In the beginning, he stayed only till lunch was served.  But after a few visits to school he developed interest in studying.  He says, “I come to school for the food and earlier I stayed only till lunch.” “Now I am liking to study” he adds. 

Machala, who is suffering from mental ailment and whose mother works as a maid says, “I come to school because I get to eat tasty food every day.” Even her younger sister accompanies her to school just for the free meal.

The NGO works tirelessly to end classroom hunger providing unlimited nutritious meals to the children.  As a result, attendance as well as enrolment rates have increased in schools. Even the nutritional status of children has increased. When children are not able to pursue education our country will be at stake. Let us donate to Akshaya Patra so that no child misses out his school for hunger. Online donations can be made to the NGO.  It takes Rs. 750 to feed a child for a year! Every donation of Rs. 500 or above made to Akshaya Patra is eligible for 100% tax exemption under section 35 AC or 50% tax exemption under Section 80 G of the Indian Income Tax.