GUWAHATI, Aug 21 � The Akshaya Patra Foundation, Guwahati flagged off one new custom-built food distribution vehicle with donation from Biscon recently, said a press release.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation reaches out to 1,298,049 children in 19 locations across eight States of India (Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Orrisa, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Assam), providing them with freshly-cooked meal on all school days.
Currently, the foundation implements the midday meal programme in 8,196 schools of the country, with plans to increase that number to hundreds more. The goal is to feed 50 lakh children by the end of 2020. The foundation needs 10 more vehicles for distribution of food.
There are many children in Assam who do not go to school because they do not get a single square meal a day and they take up some menial jobs. Akshaya Patra has been able to provide these children the opportunity to stay in school and concentrate on their education by providing them a good nutritious meal so that they complete their education, thereby opening up many opportunities for them as their life unfolds in the future.
Making all this possible is the availability of free midday meals for these children in Assam through the Akshaya Patra Foundation�s new centralised kitchen in Amingaon, Guwahati. The food consists of rice, dal and sabji and on Saturdays khichdi and kheer. Every day, food for 40,000 children from 400 government schools of Kamrup district is freshly made and transported to the schools in the foundation�s meal delivery vans, giving these children wholesome meal every afternoon that encourages them to continue their education. Each meal served is recommended by qualified nutritionists who ensure that it takes good care of the health of the children and ensures their all-round development, the release added.
