Akshaya Patra distributes 10 lakh happiness kits among MDM Beneficiaries

New Delhi:  The Akshaya Patra Foundation has been distributing Happiness Kits among its beneficiary children across states to ensure that they have access to food and education during the pandemic. As of 30th April, the Foundation has distributed over 10.63 lakh Happiness Kits to its beneficiaries across locations with the support of its corporate partners and donors.

Happiness Kits comprised food items that provide essential nutrients for daily consumption, leading to a child's health, growth and development. The pulses, spices, peanuts, jaggery, biscuits and other food items in these kits supplement and enhance children’s nutritional intake, above and beyond the set allocation of grains by Central and State Governments. Each kit has a nutritional value of 717.5 gm of protein and 22,175 calories of energy, while on a per meal basis, each child receives 23.9 gm of protein and 739 calories of energy. The kit also includes soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste, sanitary pads to promote children’s hygiene. Activity-based learning workbooks in respective regional languages are also included in the kit to ensure that their learning continues in these difficult times.

Akshaya Patra has received enthusiastic support for the Happiness Kit initiative from various corporates and state governments. These kits are being distributed in across Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Vadodara, Silvassa, Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Lucknow. The Foundation will continue to distribute these kits until the schools reopen, state-wise, with student’s parents collecting their kit.

Akshaya Patra’s efforts have been widely appreciated by prominent people, including Shri B.S. Yediyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka; Shir Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Law & Justice of India; Shri Shashi Tharoor, MP, Loksabha; Shri Nalin Kohli, National Spokesperson BJP, Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Shri Sadhguru, Founder ISHA Foundation as well as renowned celebrities such as Brett Lee and Vidya Balan.