| Just a few minutes remained for lunch break but | | | | many challenges to face their circumstances may |
| Santosh could wait no longer. There are hardly any | | | | force them to drop out of the education system long |
| words to describe the eagerness in the 7th standard | | | | before they can hope to make their dreams come |
| student's eyes as he looked out of the window, | | | | true. Nearly 13.5 million underprivileged children in India |
| waiting for his lesson to be over. As the clock struck | | | | like Manjunath and Santosh are out of school and into |
| noon, Santosh along with his friends, ran into the dining | | | | child labour in order to earn a single meal in a day. |
| area, ready for piping hot food. It was their favorite | | | | |
| Akshaya Patra's rice and sambhar today. | | | | What Akshaya Patra aims to do is give such children |
| | | | | the boost they need to make the most of their lives. |
| Like thousands of children across India, Santosh works | | | | By providing freshly cooked mid-day meals to poor |
| in the evening at a construction site for a mere | | | | children, Akshaya Patra is helping them in the most |
| pittance. Having lost his mother at a young age, he | | | | effective way it is providing them with a healthy |
| lives with his uncle, who also works as a mason at the | | | | balanced meal, so they have the energy to pursue |
| same site. Because he lives with his guardians, he | | | | their dreams. |
| cannot say no when asked to go to work, but | | | | |
| fortunately for him, his uncle and aunt do not force him. | | | | Akshaya Patra's food for education school meal |
| Santosh wants to become a police officer. He says "I | | | | program addresses two major problems facing India's |
| will study whatever it may take to become one." | | | | poor children lack of food and lack of education. The |
| | | | | mid-day meal provided by the Foundation on all school |
| Manjunath, his friend, also has a similar story to tell. His | | | | days acts not only nourishes them, but also acts as an |
| father, also a construction worker, puts constant | | | | incentive to bring them back to school. |
| pressure on him to go to work. But, the little boy's | | | | |
| aspiration to become an Engineer spurs him on to finish | | | | We hope that with continued effort, children like |
| his education. | | | | Santosh and Manjunath, will not have to give up their |
| | | | | dreams just to be able to earn a meal. |
| However, children like Santosh and Manjunath have | | | | |