Summary: The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a midday meal scheme implementor since past 21 years. It provides freshly prepared, nutritious meals to more than 1.8 million children across India, on each school day.
Body of content: The midday meal scheme is one of the most potential interventions of the Government of India to support education of children belonging to socio-economically challenging backgrounds. Through this scheme, children studying in government schools and government-aided schools receive nutritious lunch at school, every day. The midday meals not only satiate their hunger, but also plays a crucial role in providing required nutrition as well as increases enrolment rate, improves regularity to school, decreases drop-out rate, boosts concentration and performance of children.
Akshaya Patra’s role in midday meal programme
One of the pioneer mid-day meal NGOs, The Akshaya Patra Foundation has been serving school children with nutritious meals for 21 years. It operates in a Public Private Partnership model to maximise the impact of the school meal programme. The Foundation implements the midday meal scheme in partnership with the Central Government of India, State Governments, and Administration of Union Territories. It receives support from individual donors, corporates, and well-wishers.
Akshaya Patra understands the significant role of mid-day meals for school children. As a responsible meal provider, it leaves no stone unturned to make sure that children receive their daily share of nutritious meals at school. This mid-day meal NGO in India is known for its commitment, meticulous processes, state-of-the-art, hi-tech, mega kitchens located across India, and seamless meal delivery system. At present, Akshaya Patra nourishes 18,00,907 children studying in 19,039 government and aided schools in 58 locations of 13 States and 1 Union Territory.
How Akshaya Patra implements the meal programme?
- To implement the midday meal scheme, Akshaya Patra adheres to industry standard operating processes, meal nutrition guidelines as recommended by Central Mid-Day Meal Scheme, and ensures complete hygiene and quality.
- To benefit maximum children, Akshaya Patra operates centralised kitchens in urban and semi-urban areas, and decentralised kitchens in remote locations. The centralised kitchens are large mechanised facilities with 20 kitchens being ISO certified and two kitchens being OHSAS certified. The decentralised kitchens are run by women self-help groups under the supervision of Akshaya Patra’s quality manager.
- Akshaya Patra takes utmost care in preparation of the meals - right from procurement of raw materials to delivery of the meals to schools. It ensures highest level of hygiene, quality and nutrition by following processes such as Food Safety Management System, Supplier Quality Management System, Quality Assurance Programme, standardised recipes, personal hygiene and safety gear, food safe stainless steel and sanitised kitchen equipment and vessels.
- To make sure children relish their meals as well as receive adequate nutrition, Akshaya Patra follows a cyclic and locally palatable menu in adherence to the standard dietary norms.
- The cooked meals are packed in insulated stainless steel vessels and are delivered to schools in customised delivery vans.
Why Akshaya Patra seeks your support?
The Foundation is cognisant of the critical need for school meals and the resources required to fulfil the objectives of the programme. This humongous programme demands involvement of all sections of the society - government, businesses, individuals, and implementing organisations.
Akshaya Patra has always been humbled at the support it has received over the years that has allowed the Foundation to benefit over 18 lakhs children as mentioned earlier. Well-aware of the impact strong partnerships can create, Akshaya Patra provides a platform and encourages individuals and businesses to step in to support the school meal programme. Some of the many ways to get involved with Akshaya Patra are:
• Contribute online donation
• Conduct fundraising campaigns
• Become a CSR partner
• Become a goodwill ambassador
• Become a knowledge partner
• Volunteer
Akshaya Patra strives to ensure children are served with nutritious food every day. Be a part of their endeavour. Donate a van and assure children of their much-needed daily school meals. Your donation will not only deliver midday meals, but also days full of health and joy!
Author Profile:
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an Indian NGO implementing the Mid-Day Meal Programme along with several child-centric initiatives. Your support to Akshaya Patra can potentially improve lives of lakhs of children across India and also avail you tax exemption.