This Teacher’s Day, Let’s Make Education Accessible to Children

A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind and touches a heart, it is said. And when children are free to use their hands for writing, their mind for thinking and their heart for learning, true education happens. But many children in India are deprived of education due to inaccessibility to school. They are forced to work to earn their meals. The need to for donation for education in India is a need of the hour.

Every year on Teachers’ Day, we hear amazing tales of extraordinary teachers who chose children charity as a mission of their lives. We learn about some of them who went an extra mile to donate or teach or volunteer for education in India. Many of these set great examples of teaching or doing children charity, became life mentors and brought several children to the light of education.

Our heart especially reaches out to hundreds of dedicated teachers serving in Government or Government-aided schools.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation serves mid-day meals to children in thousands of such schools. The volunteers interact with teachers who freely extend their support to the foundation in serving a wholesome lunch. These teachers encourage children to enjoy their meals and come to the school regularly.

The foundation is observing Hunger Month in September by educating teachers and students about the ill effects of under nourishment. The organisation is spreading awareness about the need to feed the children through charity or donation. We are thankful to teachers who are helping us fight hunger this month.

You may be a teacher or someone who is touched by a teacher’s charity. You may consider helping the society by donating for education in India. All donations with The Akshaya Patra Foundation gain income tax exemption. Donate today.

Get Insights on How to Make a Difference by Donating

Have you experienced the feeling of making a difference? It’s fulfilling. Many Akshaya Patra donors have helped Mid-Day Meal Programme in reaching out to millions of school children every day. Whether it’s a small or big amount, we are sure that the amount has made a big impact. Donating not only creates a positive environment for children’s future, but also ensures your good health by leaving you joyous. Incredibly!

How to make a difference by donating?

If you have not tried donating earlier, you might be a bit skeptical about donating for a cause. What we would like to say is try something small. For example, a simple thing you can do is gift a stationery kit or an exam kit to a child who comes from an economically weak background. Here are two ways you can make a difference by donating towards children’s growth.

Sponsor a child

There are millions of Akshaya Patra beneficiaries whose responsibility could be in your hands. Out of millions of children we reach out to, you could take responsibility of one by donating Rs 950. This amount ensures the child receives mid-day meals for an entire year! Also, the good news is your donation, under section 80G of Income Tax, can get you 100% income tax exemption benefit. All you have to do is choose to sponsor a child.

Pay someone’s fees

Many children drop out of school and colleges due to the burden of fees. While the Indian Government has taken a great initiative to provide free education for children between 6 to 14 years, many children, once they move out of high school, their expenditure blocks them from studying further. You can take the responsibility to identify the person and pay his or her fees for the year! This will fulfill their dreams to learn!

What does Akshaya Patra do?

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an NGO in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and many other states, feeding over 1.6 million school children every day. The organisation takes pride in having encouraged millions of children, through mid-day meals, to enroll in schools and be a part of education system. What makes this organisation the world’s largest NGO-run feeding programme is noteworthy; the organisation began its humble service in the year 2000 with immense support from government, corporates, donors and many volunteers who have contributed to the cause and also donated to charity, the organisation has grown in leaps and bounds.

You can support Akshaya Patra’s Mid-Day Meal Programme by donating for this cause while you also have the option to fundraise on our website.

Taking the Leap to Fight Hunger: Expanding Footprints in India

The cause of ‘food for education’ urgently needs a boost and Akshaya Patra is expanding its reach across the country to achieve this. With its mission – ‘No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger’ – the Foundation is marching ahead to erase classroom hunger in India. The role of NGOs in India – to bring about social betterment – is fulfilled by the Foundation in partnership with State and Central governments in India. Its current reach of over 1.6 million beneficiaries, who receive a wholesome mid-day meal every day, is set to take a big leap.

In 2016, the Foundation established its presence in Maharashtra by launching its very first kitchen in the state in Nagpur. In Andhra Pradesh, it added two more kitchens – at Kakinada and Mangalagiri. In neighbouring Telangana, Akshaya Patra laid the foundation stone for its first high-tech mega kitchen at Khandi in Telangana. Come the next academic year, this kitchen will feed more than 1,00,000 children in the region and its construction cost will be borne by the Infosys Foundation, which has donated for education in India by making a contribution of Rs 18.03 crore towards the Foundation for this project.

December 2016 also saw the Foundation set the stage for a major expansion in Uttar Pradesh. It will set up 11 new kitchens in the state in the districts of Varanasi, Ghaziabad, Agra, Allahabad, Kanpur, Etawah, Kannauj, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Rampur and Ballia. Shri Akhilesh Yadav, Honourable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (UP), performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the same, on December 26, 2016 at Lok Bhavan, New Secretariat, Lucknow. These new kitchens will expand the Foundation’s reach to 13 lakh beneficiaries in UP from 2,11,680 children it is presently feeding, benefitting 10,88,320 more children from the next academic year.

To reach out to millions more children in the country and aid their quest for education via nutritious mid-day meals, the Foundation needs the support of all the individuals committed to eradicating classroom hunger. Join Akshaya Patra in nourishing the health and furthering the education of India’s children by making a donation towards it. These donations also avail donors tax exemptions under sections 35AC and 80GGA of the Income Tax Act.

Help secure the future of India’s children. Support ‘unlimited food for education’!

Of Quality Education: what defines quality?

Running a children’s charity would mean providing the little ones the basic necessities of life which they are deprived of for various reasons. Akshaya Patra opened its doors to Indian children in the year 2000 by providing them mid-day meals in government schools and government-aided schools. Vision: No child should be deprived of education because of hunger.

Ever since India began its Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the drop-out rates have decreased and enrolment rates in schools have increased. However, Mid-Day Meal is only one of the factors in making this possible. With the help of central and state governments, Akshaya Patra, an NGO in India, has been providing mid-day meals to school children for the last 16 years.

Now with more and more children in schools, the country is focusing on Quality Education – one of the goals proposed by UNDP (United Nations Development Programme). In 2015, the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) proposed Sustainable Development Goals to 194 countries. Among the 17 aspirational goals with objective to transform the world, the fourth goal is Quality Education. Akshaya Patra is playing a vital role as an NGO in India in education sector, highlights the understanding on Quality Education.

What is Quality Education?

According to a paper presented by UNICEF, five points define Quality Education.

• Learners who are healthy, well-nourished and ready to participate and learn, and supported in learning by their families and communities;
• Environments that are healthy, safe, protective and gender-sensitive, and provide adequate resources and facilities;
• Content that is reflected in relevant curricula and materials for the acquisition of basic skills, especially in the areas of literacy, numeracy and skills for life, and knowledge in such areas as gender, health, nutrition, HIV/AIDS prevention and peace;
• Processes through which trained teachers use child-centered teaching approaches in well-managed classrooms and schools and skillful assessment to facilitate learning and reduce disparities;
• Outcomes that encompass knowledge, skills and attitudes, and are linked to national goals for education and positive participation in society.

(Source: unicef.org/education/files/QualityEducation.PDF)

The first point talks about students who are ‘healthy, well-nourished and ready to participate.’ This very objective is followed by Akshaya Patra in its large-scale feeding initiatives.

Quality Education, we believe leads to remarkable success. With literacy rates rising, we should also focus on providing inclusive and quality education to ensure progress.

UNDP states: “Achieving inclusive and quality education for all reaffirms the belief that education is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for sustainable development. This goal ensures that all girls and boys complete free primary and secondary schooling by 2030. It also aims to provide equal access to affordable vocational training, to eliminate gender and wealth disparities, and achieve universal access to a quality higher education.”

Akshaya Patra’s Food for Education initiative embraces two most critical sustainable development goals – Zero Hunger and Quality Education. You can show your support by sponsoring a child’s meal for an entire academic year. Make a charity donation and win tax exemption in India.

Are you looking for a tax exemption? Try donating for a cause

Have you thought of making a donation and also earn tax exemption? It’s simple. As per IT sec 35AC/ 80GGA, if you make a donation of Rs 500 or more to Akshaya Patra, you will be eligible for a 100% tax exemption.

What is Tax Exemption?

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an NGO registered under section 35AC of the Income Tax Act 1961. Therefore every donation above Rs 500 made to The Akshaya Patra Foundation is eligible for a 100% tax exemption under Section 80GGA.

The exemption is calculated by reducing the donated amount from your taxable salary. For instance, if your taxable income per year is Rs 200,000 and you make a donation of Rs 5,000 then your net taxable income will become Rs 195,000. Your tax will now be calculated on this new amount basis the prevailing tax rates.

Is it important to donate for a cause?

Yes, if you would like to witness equality and fairness in society. Many NGOs in India and individuals are working towards strengthening the nation by working towards education, empowerment, employment, improvement of living conditions and so on. An NGO’s role in India is of utmost importance today.

Similarly, Akshaya Patra, an NGO in Bengaluru is working towards children’s education by providing them with fresh nutritious mid-day meals. In the last 16 years of our service, the growth has expanded from 1500 hundred to over 1.6 million beneficiaries pan India, thanks to charity donations. Food for Education is a concept where children are given meals within school premises so to encourage them to attend school. In India, many children often do not go to school and unfortunately, their economic condition is such that they are made to help parents with work or look after their younger siblings at home.

In a situation where there are often far too many mouths to feed, education is given least importance. The most practical solution to this problem is to bring children to school and provide them with one-time meal, known as Mid-Day Meal.

100% Tax Exemption in India

Akshaya Patra is a registered charity for children working across 11 states in India. Donations to Akshaya Patra are eligible for 100% tax exemption in India under Section 35 AC/ 80 GGA of the Income Tax. Under Section 35 AC of the Income Tax act, the Central Government – on recommendation from the National Committee for the Social & Economic Welfare – has notified the Project “Mid-Day Meal Programme run by The Akshaya Patra Foundation” as an eligible project for the allowing of 100% deduction of the contribution made by the Assesse.

When you make a contribution, you receive a certificate of 100% tax exemption benefit along with Thank You letter via courier or post. You may use the certificate to avail the benefit for the respective financial year. There are many reasons to donate to a great cause. This is one of them. Donate to charity today!

Revisiting 2016: Akshaya Patra’s Achievements and Future Plans

Two billion meals and counting. One of the greatest achievements of Akshaya Patra during 2016 was undoubtedly the feeling of reaching this number that got us all thrilled and excited. We became conscious that 2016 was just one of the several years that has contributed towards reaching out to millions of children through Food for Education initiative. It was a result of year-to-year and day-to-day hard work of several people. The Akshaya Patra Foundation celebrated the serving of 2 billion meals, in the presence of Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Honourable 13th President of India in August 2016.

Methodical approach to reaching out children

As we surged ahead to achieve our targets in 2016, we kept our eyes on a very methodical approach to achieving goals. Akshaya Patra didn’t start off as simply a children’s charity. We knew the depth of the problem of hunger among children and so we started from the root.

KIGA 2016

On October 15, 2016, The Akshaya Patra Foundation was awarded the prestigious Kalam Innovation in Governance Award 2016 (KIGA 2016). The award was presented during the 1st Edition of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial Summit on ‘Innovation in Governance’ held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Though our children’s charity bagged several awards such as AVA Digital Award, Six Sigma Award, Nikkei Asia Award, this specific award on governance inspired us the most to reach out more and more children and set loftier goals.

More centralised kitchens in 2017

Centralised Kitchen

The largest Akshaya Patra kitchen can cook nearly 100,000 meals every morning. Currently 25 centralised (automated) kitchens and 2 decentralised kitchens are established across India. This has been made possible due to several charity donations through which people have sponsored kitchen equipment to expand our reach. A similar initiative was taken in December 2016 when Akshaya Patra and the Infosys Foundation laid the first foundation stone of Telangana’s first high-tech, Centralised Mega Kitchen in Khandi. The Infosys Foundation had given away Rs 18.03 crores, generously as charity donation committing to cover the entire construction cost of this kitchen, which will use highly advanced technology. Over 1,00,000 children in Telangana will be fed nutritious mid-day meals prepared in this kitchen, beginning the next academic year.

Partnership with Infosys Foundation

And now Akshaya Patra is all set to feed its nutritious mid-day meals to a greater number of beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh (U.P). The Foundation will launch 11 new kitchens in the state. The groundbreaking ceremony for the same was performed by Honourable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Akhilesh Yadav on December 26, 2016 at Lok Bhavan, New Secretariat, Lucknow. These new kitchens will be established in the districts of Varanasi, Ghaziabad, Agra, Allahabad, Kanpur, Etawah, Kannauj, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Rampur and Ballia.

Groundbreaking ceremoney

In U.P, Akshaya Patra currently feeds 1,05,000 children and 66,000 children from its Vrindavan and Lucknow kitchens respectively, totalling to 1,71,000 children across 3021 schools. The introduction of the 11 new kitchens will take its nutritious meals to a total of 13 lakh or 1.3 million beneficiaries every day in the state, making this the Foundation’s largest intervention in India. Thus, every kitchen will feed over 1 lakh children from the next academic year.

All these initiatives have been happening with the help of several volunteers, Akshaya Patra staff, the Government of India and hundreds of donors. Like every year, Akshaya Patra has published audit reports keeping the finances transparent. Our charity donations are as per the rules of tax exemption in India and we keep our donors in the loop as to how their money is spent. You can join hands with us as we strive for another fruitful year of our quest for curbing hunger among children.

3 Stories of Hope from Akshaya Patra Would Make Your Day!

Hope is a good thing. If you can still relate to this famous thought from the American classic The Shawshank Redemption, you are most likely an optimist. Regardless, it’s always good to know that hope can change things. It can inspire action and evoke positive spirits.

A lot of people engage in charity donations in the hope of building a better tomorrow. Had it not been for hope, several children charities wouldn’t get enough resources to help children. The Government of India works with several non-profit organisations and partners with local bodies in order to provide education, food and medical aids to deprived children. Donors are benefitted through tax exemption in India if they choose to donate to organisations such as Akshaya Patra.

Akshaya Patra is a children charity that engages in providing mid-day meals to school children around India. All of its donations get the benefit of tax exemption in India while the organisation works in tandem with the government.

Back here at Akshaya Patra a children charity, we get to reap the rewards of great work in the form of various hope stories that we get to hear from beneficiaries. One such child is Manthan Jikarda who studies in Class VI at Maharana Pratap Primary School in Surat, Gujarat. He says, “Akshaya Patra food is tasty and protein-rich, which is why we like it. It is very nutritious, prepared using carrots, pumpkins, and other such healthy vegetables. The menu is different every day; sometimes there is Dal Dhokli, sometimes Khichdi.”

But that’s not half as exciting as seeing him come to school every single day and attend his classes sincerely. Manthan aspires to be a stage actor, wanting to entertain a live audience with his dramatic performances. He is an active participant in various extra-curricular activities that the school organizes.

Riddhi Barot, an Akshaya Patra beneficiary from Veer Narmad Primary School in Saradnagar Tarsali, Vadodara, studying in Class VII, is another touching story of hope. She is the daughter of a father who works in an electric shop and a mother who is a homemaker. She has two siblings –sister Siddhi (Class V) and brother Jai (Class II), studying in the same school. What truly makes Riddhi stand out is that her inspiration comes from the noted Gujarati writer, freedom fighter and social reformer, Jhaverchand Meghani. This girl wishes to become a pilot when she grows up. Her focus is a matter of wonder for both her teachers and her parents. Riddhi loves Science and English apart from being an active member of scouts and guides. It is children like her who keep us motivated and restore hope that investing in today’s children is the best way to change the world.

Similarly, Shri Baba Amte Primary School in Surat often echoes with the sound of a beautiful voice. This singer is an 11-year-old Divya Chandrakar who studies in Class VI. Contradictorily enough, she wants to be a dancer. This Akshaya Patra beneficiary brings so much joy and cheer to her class when she enters. Divya Chandrakar wants to be a figure in elegance and become a dancer. She says, “At school, we can study, play, learn new things and have nutritious meals.”

These hope stories have often moved parents of other children and they have been motivated to send their children to school. Let’s add more stories of hope. Donate to charity today and win tax exemption.

Donate to Akshaya Patra and Win Tax Exemptions!

No one has ever become poor by giving – Anne Frank

Food for Education is a unique concept in a country like India where there’s a large population of children who need food. These children often do not go to school. Many working parents don’t send their children to school so the latter can take care of their younger siblings back home. There are often far too many mouths to feed to worry about education. The most practical solution to this problem is to bring children to school and provide them with one-time meal, known as Mid-Day Meal.

That’s what Food for Education is all about. It’s about incentivising attendance in school. And no, children don’t leave the school premises the moment they finish their meals. They stay back and study hard. Parents now feel more motivated to send their children to schools since they know their kids would not only get food, but also they would study in a safe environment.

Akshaya Patra has been on a mission of Food for Education since the year 2000. It has been working actively alongside the government and has so far reached 13,529 schools in the country and has successfully completed 2.12 billion meals so far.

100% tax deduction benefit

Akshaya Patra is a registered and recognised charity for children organisation that has a transparent way of finances. Donors have several ways to make a contribution while they get easy an income tax exemption. There are many benefits of offering a donation to Akshaya Patra. Donations to Akshaya Patra are eligible for 100% deduction under Section 35 AC/ 80 GGA of the Indian Income Tax.   Under Section 35 AC of the Income Tax act, the Central Government –   on recommendation from the National Committee for the Social & Economic Welfare – has notified the Project “Mid-Day Meal Programme run by The Akshaya Patra Foundation” as an eligible project for the allowing of 100% deduction of the contribution made by the Assesse.

This allows the donor to not only contribute in the cause of Food for Education but also earn a 100% tax deduction benefit. Most of the donation to other NGO qualifies for only 50% deduction under Section 80 G of the Income Tax act. But the tax deductible donation to Akshaya Patra is especially helpful for all those who wish to make a positive contribution but are often deterred by lack of funds. They can now choose to donate to Akshaya Patra.

When you make a contribution, you receive a certificate of 100% tax exemption benefit along with Thank You letter via courier or post. You may use the certificate to avail the benefit for the respective financial year. There are many reasons to donate to a great cause. This is one of them. Donate Today.

10 Ways to Donate to Akshaya Patra

On a quiet Sunday noon, Amit was glancing through the latest news on his phone. A few articles later, he came across a rather distressing article about children in India. It said, ‘almost half of India’s children are chronically malnourished and hunger is the main cause for illness among children.’ This led Amit to make a resolution — to donate to schools to ensure students are served hot and nutritious meals on every school day.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a Bengaluru-based NGO, gives you the chance to sponsor mid-day meals of children for an entire academic year. As a choice, you can also sponsor kitchen equipment or donate a vehicle to help strengthen the operations. Because meals are prepared for over 1.5 million children across India every day, the organisation ensures that the kitchen operations are efficient and food is delivered to schools on time.

Here’s a quick guide to all of Akshaya Patra’s donation options!

Donate online

Your contribution of Rs 750 can help in feeding nutritious mid-day meals to a child for an entire academic year. You can donate online by choosing the number of children you would like to sponsor for a year.

Donate a vehicle

With the help of Akshaya Patra’s blue bus, beneficiary schools receive their mid-day meals on time. You can donate a vehicle to the organisation and have you name or company logo displayed on the vehicle.

Sponsor kitchen equipment

Every morning, Akshaya Patra’s kitchens cook more than 1 lakh meals. While we focus on feeding more children, you can help us increase productivity by sponsoring a kitchen equipment.

Sponsor a school for a year

The organisation caters to over 10,948 government schools in India. You can now sponsor a government school’s mid-day meals for a year and help the students enjoy fresh and nutritious meals.

Donate in honour of someone 

The organisation gives you the opportunity to make a thoughtful contribution—donating in honour of someone you admire. Through this, not only will you honour an individual, but also support the cause.

Donate in memory of someone 

To cherish memories and to express love and respect, you can donate in memory of someone you love. Your donation to help sustain the mid-day meal programme will be valuable and appreciated for its thoughtfulness.

Donate for a special occasion 

How do you wish to celebrate your birthday? Share your joy with Akshaya Patra beneficiaries by donating on your special day. Be it anniversary or birthday, you can make it more special by supporting a cause.

Donate through cheque/DD 

You can write a Cheque or Demand Draft in the name of The Akshaya Patra Foundation. Since this is an offline donation, we can arrange a pick-up service or you send the cheque through post.

Make a donation via wire transfer 

You can donate to Akshaya Patra through wire transfer. Once you submit your information on the website, one of Akshaya Patra’s representatives will get in touch with you to further the process.

Set ECS donation

You can transfer funds on a periodical basis by setting up an Electronic Clearance Service to make ECS donation. This is an easy and hassle-free mode of transferring funds.

For the organisation to continue operating on a large scale, you can make a contribution of your choice and help the Foundation achieve its mission of feeding 5 million children by 2020. With support from the Government and many philanthropists, The Foundation continues its school lunch operations across the country, running the world’s largest NGO-driven mid-day meal programme.

How will you benefit?

Donations to Akshaya Patra are eligible for 100% deduction under Section 35 AC / 80 GGA of the Indian Income Tax Act.  When you make a donation, you will be given a receipt and a 100% Tax Exemption Certificate along with a ‘thank you’ letter via courier or post. The certificate and receipt which will reach you within 10 days of making the donation and can be used to avail 100% tax exemption for the respective financial year.

5 Reasons Why You Should Donate To Akshaya Patra

Meera, a 10-year-old girl, was expected to stay at home and help her mother with daily chores. Due to several financial constraints in the house, her interest in attending school was crushed. Soon, her school implemented mid-day meal scheme to encourage children to attend school. As much as it worked in favour of the scheme, it also assured Meera’s parents of one nutritious meal for their daughter. Meera’s education resumed.

It has been over 16 years since The Akshaya Patra Foundation began its humble journey by feeding hot and nutritious food to 1500 school children in Bengaluru. Today, this NGO in India feeds more than 1.5 million school children across 10 states in the country. Here are five reasons why you should donate to charity and support Akshaya Patra’s cause:

1. Eradicate Classroom Hunger

India has witnessed a rapid change in reducing many social issues. However, classroom hunger continues to be one of the battles on the ground. Akshaya Patra, one of India’s NGOs, aims to omit classroom hunger by implementing mid-day meal scheme in government schools across the nation. When a child is fed nutritious and tasty meal, learning becomes easier—for it is the mind that needs nourishment to learn.

2. Achieve Universal Education

Akshaya Patra began with a vision that ‘no child in India should be deprived of education due to hunger.’ It is one of UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 to ensure quality education for all. With this belief, we are heading towards achieving 100% school enrolment. When children are assured of a wholesome meal in school itself, they are encouraged to learn and socialise among their classmates—this builds their knowledge and personality. Many schools in India have observed an increase in school enrolment since the implementation of mid-day meal programme.

3. Be Aware of Social Issues

By getting involved with Akshaya Patra’s cause, you will be able to educate yourself about issues revolving around hunger and education among children in India. We believe when people come together to make a change in the society, it creates a substantial impact.

4. Get Benefits: 100% Tax Exemption

You as a donor can avail tax exemption with Akshaya Patra which is registered under section 35 AC/80 GGA of the Income Tax Act 1961. It allows resident taxpayers to sanction 100% tax exemption for every donation above Rs. 500.

5. We Are Making Progress

For Akshaya Patra, it’s been a journey of perseverance. The organisation has dedicated itself to the cause of eradicating hunger among school children in India and the voyage has been successful—from 1500 children to over 1.5 million children every day. It is of course with the support from Central Government, State Governments and donors that we are able to reach more children every day.

You can get involved too. When you attempt to donate to charity, it is a win for societal change. You can add Rs. 750 to our donation jar which will ensure a child’s wholesome and nutritious mid-day meals for an entire year.