Midday Meal is a programme in India which liberates underprivileged children from a world of hard child labour by providing a free and nutritious meal in schools. This therefore encourages parents to send their children to school to get an education and subsequently that child avoids a life where they are forced to take up menial jobs at the cost of their education to support their families.  In India the number of underprivileged children who are denied education or have to give it up to work is common place. Hunger can obstruct education.

Midday Meal has no commercial motive and is available to all pupils without any discrimination on grounds of religion, caste, creed or sex. Children are the future and a child needs to have an education in order for them to explore their potential and give them a better platform in modern life.

Dineathon were invited to India to see for themselves how the Midday Meal implemented their operation and how  Dineathon can help the programme.

Dineathon visited the Iskon Food Relief Foundation in Palghar where the kitchens prepare and supply meals to schools in the area. Manned by trained cooks using advanced technology and hygienic conditions the food is packed and sealed in containers which ensure safe, effective and efficient distribution.

We were then taken to a school in Palghar where we saw how the Midday Meal had benefitted a small village school which otherwise would have had a handful of pupils. We sat with the children and during the lunch break we helped serve the piping hot nutritious food.  For many of the children, this meal is perhaps the only full wholesome meal they have in the entire day.

The following day we were taken to Silvassa which is one of the slum areas in India and visited 2 schools: P.S. Khumarpada (Kherdi) Marathi where 50 pupils are taught and P.S Kherdi Patelpada which teaches 157.  Again our guides demonstrated how the Midday Meal providing that one meal at midday is giving those pupils a full educational experience they probably would never have had.

You too could help save and change people’s lives around the world and in the UK by simply hosting a meal in your homes and making a donation to Dineathon.