Akshaya Patra celebrates International Mother's Day

International Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May each year. On this day, mothers all over the world are recognised for their contributions, cards and gifts are exchanged, and families come together in celebration. At The Akshaya Patra Foundation mothers play a crucial role in the company's ethos. The food cooked in the kitchens and served to the children is prepared with a mother's love for her child. In fact the Foundation has a video called 'A Morsel of Love' which showcases how each day the nutritious food is prepared with the tender care of a mother, and this love is one of the crucial ingredients in this food that the children enjoy so greatly.

The occasion of International Mother's Day also prompts us to look at how else Akshaya Patra provides support to mothers. Women are employed in almost all the kitchens across the country. In the two decentralised kitchens alone, Akshaya Patra employs over 1,400 women, while over 2,200 women are employed across every sector of the organisation in total. This employment provides mothers the opportunity to be financially independent, contribute to their family income and also serves as an example to their children by promoting gender equality. In many cases, the women working at the decentralised kitchens have been employed from local self-help groups. Through their work with the Foundation, they earn money and improve their social standing among their peers. Also the beneficiaries of the programme in this region are often the children of the ladies employed in the decentralised kitchens. Therefore these mothers have the opportunity to cook the tasty, nutritious food for their own children, ensuring that they stay in school.

Akshaya Patra also recognises how crucial it is to care for a mother's health especially during the times of pregnancy and soon after. It is as this time that a mother's body needs access to the vital nutrients it requires to stay healthy for herself, and for her child. To ensure this Akshaya Patra serves nutritious food to nearly 6,000 mothers at close to 300 Anganwadi centres in Jaipur. International Mother's Day is one day to celebrate and honour the mothers in society, but at Akshaya Patra every day is an occasion to nurture and care for these special people. In order to provide more opportunity to mothers all over India, and ease their burdens by providing free, nutritious food to their children, Akshaya Patra needs your support. Make a quick, online contribution to the programme here. @https://www.akshayapatra.org/onlinedonations

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an Ngo in India providing food for 1.6 million school children across 12 States and 28 locations.