Nourishment lays the foundation for all development goals; thus, we must take it seriously. The more undernourished a country’s population, the slower its progress in all fields.
But malnutrition is complex.
Because it does not just mean a lack of food, but may also indicate a shortage of required nutrients and micro-nutrients in the meals even if one gets to eat every day.
Therefore, malnutrition can be hidden and also occur in people who overeat.
Nelson Mandela once said “Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth who care for and protect our people.”
Hence, we need to protect our children with education and nutritious food so that they grow up to guard our future.
Malnourishment in children
Some major reasons for malnourishment in children are:
• Lack of awareness about nutrition among adults, especially parents
• Insufficient funds to access nutritious food
• Unhygienic living environments
• Malnourished pregnant and nursing mothers
• Inadequate nourishment during a child’s early years
These reasons take away the chances for children to do well in their lives. They become incapable of making simple choices, leading to more severe problems.
• Children cannot focus on education and learning despite the available facilities
• Children cannot participate in sports and other non-academic activities
• A large chunk of human resource is lost that could contribute to a country
• It further slows down economic growth, increases health care costs and reduces productivity, which perpetuates the cycle of ill-health and insufficiency in a nation
What’s the solution?
Fortunately, events such as World Food Day, Hunger Action Month and National Nutrition Week help to create awareness about proper nourishment. However, people’s active participation in helping those in need can significantly speed up progress.
Even if each of us feeds one child by donating to dedicated programmes at registered NGOs, millions of children can receive balanced meals for the entire year. Today, one can easily contribute online on the websites of these NGOs.
For instance, Akshaya Patra is a trusted NGO in India that feeds a child for an entire academic year with a donation of ₹1500 or $19 under the Mid-Day Meal Programme (now known as PM Poshan Abhiyaan). It serves 2 million school children with freshly-cooked meals every day. These meals are prepared in sanitised hi-tech kitchens, based on the palatal preferences of the children, following the nutrition guidelines declared by the Supreme Court of India and the Ministry of Education.
PM Poshan Abhiyaan: The revamped model of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme
In 2021, the Government of India renamed the Mid-Day Meal Programme to PM Poshan Abhiyaan while introducing some structural changes. The new model aims to:
• nourish pre-primary school children in addition to primary school children supported by its earlier version
• focus on monitoring a child’s nutritional levels rather than just serving meals in schools
• teach children to grow their food
• benefit women’s self-help groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) by sourcing locally grown traditional food items for school meals
Feed children to help build India’s future
Your one-time donation can nourish an underprivileged child for a year and inspire him to dream big for the country. By donating to a registered NGO such as Akshaya Patra, you can also avail 50% tax exemption under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act.
Even if you are unable to donate the desired amount despite your kind intentions, you can start a fundraising campaign. Below are the steps to follow.
Step 1: Register or sign in on the website.
Step 2: Choose a fundraising idea and enter the details to create a campaign. You will receive a confirmation email within a few hours.
Step 3: Share the campaign’s link on your social media handles to motivate others to contribute.
You may also spread the word among your close ones and let them know how contributing to your campaign will benefit the beneficiaries. By communicating your generous deed, you will set an example and create a ripple effect which will inspire more and more people to help the underprivileged with time.
On Akshaya Patra’s website, all the funds collected through the campaign will support the cause chosen by the fundraiser.
So, options are many once you decide to make a difference!
Let’s leave the past behind and work on solutions for an inclusive and sustainable future where all receive basic necessities and a fair share of development opportunities.
Nourish a child for a year. Donate ₹1500.