Hunger

What comes to your mind when you read the word HUNGER?

 

All I can think of is the growling in my stomach and my mind drawing pictures of sumptuous food. But I am one of the privileged ones, as hunger to me is not synonymous to a horrifying or desperate dearth of food. However the billion people around the world who wake up hungry would quote the latter meaning, which is a sad truth.

 

In a so-called developing country like India, where poverty is an unending epidemic, countless people go to sleep hungry everyday. The causes are several, the solutions are negligible. And the poor are being caught in a vicious cycle of politics, an unstable economy, blind faiths and illiteracy leading to more poverty.

I see little children begging on the streets, I occasionally spare them a couple of coins, thinking of how much difference have I made by doing so. Children who are of the age to learn and play, are burdened with earning a livelihood with all innocence lost.

 

 

For all you privileged like me out there, try going hungry for a day with exams on the head. It’s bound to drive you crazy, exams or not.

Education is regarded as a birthright for all citizens of this country, agreed. But how do you expect a child to learn when he is hungry. Ultimately the child lacks nourishment and education and is unable to make any kind of progress.

 

To safeguard these innocent interests, His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) inspired the creation of The Akshaya Patra Foundation.

The organization provides healthy, balanced meals to underprivileged children for no cost. The meal works as an incentive for them to stay in school and further their education. This program has helped in reducing school drop out rates enormously, all over India.

 

 

Their mission is to reach 5 million children by the year 2020. To contribute to this ambitious cause you can donate or volunteer which has done wonders for these little lives. As an Indiblogger you can support by blogging about the foundation’s work.

 

Let us all join hands and make this venture a huge social success.