Akshaya Patra

The AkshayaPatra Foundation

1.1

About us

The

Akshaya

Patra foundation is an India based Non-profit organization that implements a large scale, innovative school feeding program for government school going children to fight hunger, provide much needed nutrients for holistic development of a child. Akshaya Patra Mid-Day Meal program provides a healthy, balanced meal that the children would otherwise have to work for. Akshaya Patra Foundation is a pioneering school meal program to facilitate the education of underprivileged children in India, whose numbers are alarmingly high. Confronting hunger and illiteracy has been the greatest challenge of this country and Akshaya Patra is on the frontlines of this struggle. By providing unlimited, nutritious, hygienically cooked hot noon meals in government schools and government run day-care centers (Anganwadi), in partnership with the Central and State Governments, the Akshaya Patra program strives to promote universalization of primary

The Akshaya Patra Foundation-proposal

Page 1

education. Health and education incentives further supplement the central activity.

1.2 History of The Akshaya Patra Foundation

Looking out of a window one day in Mayapur, a village near Calcutta, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, saw a group of children fighting with stray dogs over scraps of food. From this simple, yet heart-breaking incident, was born a determination that no child within a radius of ten miles from our centre should go hungry. His inspiring resolve has helped us in making The Akshaya Patra Foundation, as what it is today. In June 2000, The Akshaya Patra Foundation started the mid-day meal programme in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The initial days of implementation were not smooth sailing for the organization. But soon came the helping hands of Mohandas Pai, who took the initiative of donating the first vehicle to transport food to the schools; and Abhay Jain, who promised to bring in more donors to contribute for the further expansion of the programme. The humble beginnings of the Foundation started with serving of the mid-day meals to 1500 children across five Government schools in Bengaluru. The programme embraced the vision that – “No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger.” Today, through the partnership with the Government of India and various State Governments, as well as philanthropic donors; the organization runs the world’s largest mid-day meal programme. Built on a public-private partnership, Akshaya Patra combines good management, innovative technology and smart engineering to deliver a nutritious and hygienic school lunch. The Akshaya Patra Foundation-proposal

Page 2

1.3 Vision & Mission The vision: No child in India shall be deprived of education because of Hunger. Hygienically cooked, nutritional mid day meals to government school going children will also help in increasing enrollment, attendance and classroom participation. A single meal plays a major role in the holistic development of the child. Mission: to reach 5 million in 2020 Through our mid-day meal programme, our attempt is to feed the millions of children in India who have the zeal to learn and achieve, but not the means. By feeding them that one wholesome meal a day, we give them the motivation and nourishment they need to pursue an education and a better future. It is our endeavour to reach out to every child at the grass root level of the society. 1.3 Objectives of Mid Day Meal Would you be able to learn if hunger was your classroom companion? Classroom hunger affects children’s ability to learn and grow. To solve this challenge, Akshaya Patra began the Food for Education initiative which is continuously making an effort to enable children from over 13,000 schools in India. On August 15, 1995, National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NPNSPE) was launched as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme and in the year 2001, the Supreme Court of India ordered all the state governments and union territories to implement Mid-Day Meal Scheme and provide cooked meals to school children from Government and Government-aided schools. With support from the central and state governments, Akshaya Patra began operating its MidDay Meal Programme in 2000 and has inculcated a set of rules and guidelines related to child health and growth, the quantity of calories and proteins required for children from specific age groups, the quantity of grains that can be allotted to each child, and so forth. With an effective Public-Private Partnership model, we have been able to serve mid-day meals for 16 years. The objectives of Mid-Day Meal as issued by the government: • Improving the nutritional status of children in classes I-V in Government, Local Body and Government aided schools, and EGS and AIE centres • Encouraging children, belonging to disadvantaged sections, to attend school more regularly •

and help them concentrate on classroom activities Providing nutritional support to children of primary stage in drought affected areas during

summer vacation While focusing on improving nutritional level and attendance, Akshaya Patra also aims to address two Sustainable Development Goals: Zero Hunger and Quality Education. The Akshaya Patra Foundation-proposal

Page 3

1.4 Quality of Mid Day Meal Ushering a technology-intensive operating model ensures high-quality of food. The program has incorporated a centralized approach, backed by technology – driven processes. Quality and Food Safety are the primary ingredients at each of the Akshaya Patra kitchens. Learning from the past, we have introduced various metrics in every area of operations and service delivery. We have also partnered with different organisations to review the quality of the mid-day meals we prepare and serve children. To maintain the quality of the meal, standardisation of recipes across all locations has been undertaken. To improve quality standards, advance projects like Kaizen and 5S have been started in different locations. Employee Health and Safety activities are conducted to further increase hygiene standards and improve safety and health. Nutrition The table below shows the required dietary norms as stated by the Central Mid-Day Meal Scheme:

The table below shows the item-wise dietary norms as stated by the Central Mid-Day Meal Scheme:

The Akshaya Patra Foundation-proposal

Page 4

We strive to ensure that children not only have access to 'unlimited food for education' but also to prescribed quantities of the nutrition. In order to consistently maintain quality of the meal, we take feedback from schools on a daily basis while delivering the meal. We are adopting and implementing Kaizen, CI Projects and Six Sigma methodologies to ensure quality on all terms. 1.3 Activities & Beneficiary Group In India about 45 million children (13.5 million between the age group of 6 and 13) are out of school because they are hungry. As they are doing menial jobs to feed for themselves and their families, they are missing out on the benefits of education, the key to significantly improving the quality of life. Their inability to access even one nutritional meal per day is severely limiting their capacity to concentrate in the classroom and receive a proper education, which could otherwise lift them out of the cycle of poverty. A hungry child cannot concentrate on studies; hence millions spent on education of children fails to give the desired results. The Global School Feeding Report of the United Nation’s World Food Program endorses that: “School feeding programs often double enrollment within a year and can produce a 40 percent improvement in academic performance in just two years. Children who take part in such programs stay in school longer.” Till date, a wholesome meal continues to be the most powerful incentive for children to come to schools (increasing enrolment), retaining them in schools (reducing drop-outs) and helping them to perform better in schools (effective learning experience). Convinced by the enormous power of education, the Akshaya Patra Foundation has been facilitating the education of over 1.6 million children in 28 locations, 10 states of India by The Akshaya Patra Foundation-proposal

Page 5

providing nutritious meals in schools everyday. For many children this is the only full meal that they have during the entire course of the day. Being a public Private partnership model, the school meal programme of Akshaya Patra is partially supported by the central and state governments in the form of cash subsidy and grains.

1.4 Meal preparation model Ushering a technology-intensive operating model ensures high-quality of food. The program has incorporated a centralized approach, backed by technology – driven processes. Six of the Akshaya Patra kitchens are now ISO Certified. ISO 22000:2005 certification has been awarded to North Bangalore, South Bangalore, Jaipur, Ajmer ,Nathdwara, Ahmedabad, Hubli-Dharwad and Vrindavan Kitchens – a first of its kind achievement for a NGO. The program also incorporated decentralized mode of operation to cater the needs of local community and school in remote areas. Unique feature of this model is that quite often, the women cooking the meals are the mothers of the children we reach out to. Hundreds of such mothers have benefitted from the program. Whatever the approach, foundation ensures that it can serve the needs of the children in the most dignified, cost efficient manner. 1.5 Monitoring & Evaluation Monitoring of the program has been done by operation team on a daily basis and evaluation of the program has been done by A.C Neilson to measure the effectiveness and the benefits of the program to the child and the community as a whole. 1.6 Our Reach Akshaya Patra reaches out to 17,23,740 children in 38 locations across 12 states of India, providing them with freshly cooked meal on all school days. Currently, we implement the midday meal programme in 14,845 schools of the country, with plans to increase that number to hundreds more. The Akshaya Patra Foundation-proposal

Page 6

State / Location

Number of Children

Number of Schools

Type of Kitchen

Andhra Pradesh

43,820

290

Visakhapatnam

21,850

91

Kakinada

9,718

27

Mangalagiri

12,252

172

Assam

47,276

607

Guwahati (ISO 22000:2005)

47,276

607

Chhattisgarh

29,849

192

Bhilai (ISO 22000:2005)

29,849

192

Gujarat

4,07,992

1,475

Ahmedabad (ISO 22000:2005)

1,29,268

522

Vadodara (ISO 22000:2005)

1,21,259

616

Surat (ISO 22000:2005)

1,57,465

337

Karnataka

5,27,048

2,968

Bengaluru - HK Hill (ISO 22000:2005)

1,05,678

635

1,01,541

646

1,26,932

577

1,52,423

807

Mangaluru

17,024

139

Mysuru

23,450

164

Odisha

1,86,387

1,840

Bhubaneshwar

59,083

417

Puri

51,506

661

Nayagarh

25,261

342

Decentralised Kitchens

Rourkela

50,537

420

Centralised Kitchen

Bengaluru -Vasanthapura (ISO 22000:2005) Ballari (ISO 22000:2005, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001) Hubballi (ISO 22000:2005, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001)

The Akshaya Patra Foundation-proposal

Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen

Page 7

Rajasthan

1,81,002

2,672

Jaipur (ISO 22000:2005)

1,12,475

1,624

Jodhpur

13,265

140

Nathdwara (ISO 22000:2005)

28,009

561

Ajmer

16,233

192

Centralised Kitchens

Baran

11,020

155

Decentralised Kitchens

Maharashtra

5000

Nagpur

5,000

Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen

Centralised Kitchen

Tamil Nadu

731

1

Chennai

731

1

Telangana

62,020

463

Hyderabad

62,020

463

Uttar Pradesh

2,32,615

3,021

Lucknow (ISO 22000:2005)

1,00,459

1,011

Vrindavan (ISO 22000:2005)

1,32,156

2,010

TOTAL

17,23,740

13,529

Centralised Kitchen

Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Kitchen

1.6 Towards achieving millennium Development Goals The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a non-profit organization working towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.



Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

By providing freshly cooked, nutritious meals to underprivileged children in India we are not only helping to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger but also address the daunting issue of malnutrition. Quite often, this is the only meal that the children get to have during the day. 

Achieve universal primary education

The Akshaya Patra Foundation-proposal

Page 8

The 86th amendment to the Constitution of India made free and compulsory education to children between the ages of 6-14 a fundamental right. In order to achieve this goal of universal elementary education, the Government of India pioneered a program called ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ (SSA). SSA is actively involved in carrying out this goal of ‘universal elementary education of satisfactory quality by 2010’. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is also contributing towards this ‘education for all’ movement by increasing the net enrolment ratio, attendance and performance levels of the students in primary education. We achieve this by ensuring that the children get healthy, nutritious mid-day meals in government schools where the SSA program is being implemented. Along with the meals, we also provide other programs such as extra tutorial support and life skills training, for the overall development of the child in school. 

Promote gender equality and empower women

Studies have shown that cultural traditions and social structures often lead to girls being more affected by hunger than boys. Independent surveys indicate that where the Akshaya Patra midday meal program is being carried out, this gender gap has reduced significantly. Attendance and enrolment of the girl child has increased in many areas where the program is being conducted. The Akshaya Patra Foundation has also helped to remove gender inequality by providing livelihood to thousands of underprivileged women in many remote areas of the country. Our decentralized kitchen model has provided these women with a means to a daily income, thereby empowering them.

1.7 Accolades 

First Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam memorial award 2016



Padma Shree Award 2016



Akshaya Patra wins at International ARC Awards for its Annual Report 2013-14



Gold and Silver at Summit Creative Awards 2015



Platinum at 2015 Hermes Creative Awards



2014 Asian MAKE Award by CII



Award for Excellence at 21st Annual Communicator Award for its Annual Report 2013-14



Gold at LACP 2013/14 Vision Awards

The Akshaya Patra Foundation-proposal

Page 9



Gold Shield: By The institute of Chartered Accountants of India for excellence in financial reporting 2012-13



Best NGO at Mother Teresa Awards 2014



Gold Shield : By The institute of Chartered Accountants of India for excellence in financial reporting 2010



Gold Shield : By The institute of Chartered Accountants of India for excellence in financial reporting 2011



Rajyotsava Award, Govt. of Karnataka 2003



Rotary International Dist 3190, Excellence in Community Service Award 2004



Independence Day Award, Government of Rajasthan 2006



Republic Day Award, Govt. of Rajasthan 2007



Rotary Bangalore Orchards, Vocational Excellence Award 2007



Rajasthan Gaurav Samman 2008



IPEGA National status award for Social Development - 2008



The CNBC INDIA Business Leader Awards in the Social Enterprise of the year category 2009.



Microsoft Tech Museum Award 2009



Lifebuoy National Child Health Award 2009



Americares- Spirit of Humanity awards 2009



Distinguished Alumnus Award by IIT Mumbai 2010



LeapVault Change Leadership Awards 2010

The Akshaya Patra Foundation-proposal

Page 10



Innovations in services for urban poor, by World Bank, IDA and Ministry of Urban Development 2010

2. About The Akshaya Patra Foundation, Rajasthan 1.Jaipur Kitchen:The Akshaya Patra Foundation established kitchen in Jaipur Rajasthan (Centralized Kitchen) and its operations on February 2004. This Kitchen Inaugurated by Honorable Chief Minister Smt. Vasundra Raje. 2. Baran Kitchen:Second Kitchen was started in Baran district in April 2005.This kitchen is Decentralized kitchen. 3.Nathdwara Kitchen:Third kitchen was started in Nathdwara,district udaipur in June 2006.This kitchen is Centralized kitchen. 4.Jodhpur Kitchen:Fourth kitchen was started in Jodhpur district in August 2013.This kitchen is Centralized kitchen. 5. Ajmer Kitchen:Fifth kitchen was started in Ajmer in August 2016.This kitchen is Centralized kitchen. 6. Bhilwara Kitchen:Sixth kitchen was started in Bhilwara district in April 2018.This kitchen is Centralized kitchen. 7. Jhalawar Kitchen:Seventh kitchen was started in Jhalawar district in May 2018.This kitchen is Centralized kitchen. Jaipur , Ajmer and Nathdwara are certified ISO 22000: 2005 and follow the centralized model; Baran kitchen is decentralized and major is operated by women self-help groups, which has created employment for hundreds of women The number of beneficiaries receiving food by Akshaya Patra in all seven places of Rajasthan is shown in the table below.

State / Location Jaipur (ISO 22000:2005) Jodhpur The Akshaya Patra Foundation-proposal

Number of Children

Number of Schools

1,30,475

1,624

13,265

140

Type of Kitchen Centralised Kitchen Centralised Page 11

Kitchen Centralised Kitchen

Nathdwara (ISO 22000:2005)

28,009

561

Ajmer (ISO 22000:2005)

16,233

192

Centralised Kitchens

Baran

11,020

155

Decentralised Kitchens

Bhilwara

5,017

32

Centralised Kitchens

Jhalawar

15,000

157

Centralised Kitchens

3. Form of support

School Sponsorship:We are presently providing Mid-day meal to schools in 38 locations across 12 States of the country. We request you choose at least one option. The cost of sponsoring 1 schools for one year is 1.5 Lac only. Branding of your organization will be done at these schools. This will create significant socially responsible image of the organization adopting these schools. Your this noble gesture will create a significant image of your organization among the people staying in these areas.

Particulars

School Sponsorship for a year

Total Cost in Rs.

Option 1

One School

Option 2

Two Schools

1.5 Lac 3.0 Lac

Option 3

Three Schools

4.5 Lac

Option 4

Four Schools

6.0 Lac

Donation can be made by the DD or Cheque in favor of "The Akshaya Patra Foundation, Jaipur". Your contributions to the Foundation are eligible for 50% tax deduction under section 80G of the Income Tax Act, India.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation-proposal

Page 12