The Akshaya Patra Foundation, The Breakfast Revolution, and Share Our Strength announced the results of a survey aimed at understanding community perceptions and engagement in child nutrition initiatives in India.
Key findings from the survey conducted by the aforementioned organizations reveal significant disparities in community engagement:
Community Perception: 64% of respondents agree that community involvement is crucial to ensuring nutrition for children. However, only a mere 21% have participated in or supported any initiatives related to child nutrition in their community.
Awareness Gap: Alarmingly, 74% of respondents have never come across any information related to community initiatives to address child undernutrition.
The survey, which garnered more than 2500 responses from across India, highlights several notable statistics regarding government schemes and school feeding programs:
Government Schemes: A majority of respondents (76%) are aware of government schemes providing free meals to children in schools.
Effectiveness of School Feeding Programs: Over half of the respondents (57%) find school feeding programs effective in addressing children's nutritional needs.
Personal Connections: Encouragingly, 60% of respondents personally know of a child who has benefited from programs that provide meals to school-going children.
Dr. Pankaj Jethwani, Co-Founder of The Breakfast Revolution, emphasized the necessity of collective efforts from government agencies, non-profit organizations, and the wider community to address child nutrition challenges.
In a bid to raise awareness and foster community participation, Share Our Strength is organizing an exclusive dinner event in aid of The Akshaya Patra Foundation and The Breakfast Revolution. Partnering with The Bombay Club and EazyDiner, the event aims to raise INR 1 crore to provide daily breakfasts and mid-day meals for over 10,000 underprivileged school children in the upcoming academic year. Share Our Strength has committed to matching all donations from the event, doubling the impact.
The Bombay Club, Mahalaxmi Race Course, and Sachin Pabreja, Co-founder and CEO of EazyDiner, have stepped up to support the initiative, highlighting the need for increased community engagement in addressing child nutrition issues.
The Breakfast Revolution, the main program under the Decimal Foundation, is dedicated to combating malnutrition among children in India. Founded in 2014, the program aims to reach poor children in anganwadis, low-income schools, and communities with nutritious breakfasts.
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