| | | | | In fact, Madhu Pandit Dasa says, Akshaya Patra's |
| | | | vision: ‘No child in India shall be deprived of |
| Nelson Mandela, once said "Education is the most | | | | education because of hunger' reflects this |
| powerful weapon you can use to change the world." | | | | two-pronged strategy to solving the problem. Himself a |
| Education not only gives people the means to a better | | | | graduate of one of India's leading universities, IIT, Madhu |
| life but also something more profound: the ability to | | | | Pandit Dasa has been involved in Akshaya Patra's |
| grow and learn through one's own experiences. The | | | | mid-day meal program since its beginning. He firmly |
| strength of a nation can often be determined by the | | | | believes this scheme will bring about the lasting change |
| education of its people. | | | | that India needs. |
| India, with nearly one sixth of the world's population, is a | | | | By providing children with freshly cooked mid-day |
| booming economy poised to take over as one of the | | | | meals on school days, the organization not only hopes |
| world's superpowers. Yet this glittering fact goes hand | | | | to combat this problem of hunger, but also encourage |
| in hand with the harsh truth of abject poverty facing | | | | them to continue their education. For nearly a decade |
| nearly half of the nation's people. With 42% of the | | | | this children's charity has been dedicated to this cause. |
| country's population living below the international | | | | As Madhu Pandit Dasa puts it, "At The Akshaya Patra |
| poverty line, the nation is struggling to keep up with | | | | Foundation we strive to build an educated India. We |
| many of the rapidly growing countries in the world. | | | | believe that reducing hunger will change the future of |
| So what can be done? Just how far can India go | | | | our country's children." |
| before it is forced to deal with these facts? Madhu | | | | But does it really work? Is it as simple as providing |
| Pandit Dasa, the Chairman of The Akshaya Patra | | | | food? After all, it's better to teach a man to fish than |
| Foundation, one of India's leading non-profits believes | | | | give him a fish. |
| that educating the nations' children is the only answer. | | | | According to an independent study conducted by A.C |
| "We need to make sure that every child is well | | | | NielsonORG MARG Pvt. Ltd. India's leading survey firm, |
| nourished, educated and enabled to become | | | | the program has worked wonders. In some areas, |
| productive. India has the youngest population in the | | | | such as Baran where the program is being conducted, |
| world and it is her children who will shape the future of | | | | school enrolment in Class I have increased by 41.3%. |
| the country." | | | | There have also been marked improvements in |
| But the solution may not be as simple as that. With | | | | attendance, retention rates, classroom performance |
| over 700 million people in the country living a | | | | and most importantly, the health of the children. |
| hand-to-mouth existence, education is a luxury that | | | | When asked if he believes the problem is too complex |
| few have access to. | | | | for any lasting solution, Madhu Pandit Dasa had this to |
| "Poverty is the primary cause for lack of education," | | | | say |
| says Madhu Pandit Dasa. "When children do not even | | | | "One thing is certain from this experience: there is |
| have access to food, there is no possibility for | | | | boundless compassion in this world. We must involve |
| education. Poverty and hunger go hand in hand in this | | | | more and more willing human hearts. It is possible, but |
| complex problem. If we are to change the face of | | | | only when we work together. |
| India, we must get to the root of the problem: hunger." | | | | |