Serving 1,00,00,000 Children With Morning Nutrition

It takes years for the seed to sprout and pass through the phase of being a sapling to a burgeoning tree, but once it takes deep roots and achieves its full potential, it is a sight to behold and wonder of nature. An idea, infused with determination and collective power of people bent on doing good, often goes through the same process; however, if it can hold its ground during its initial years successfully, it can literally change the perception of the world, and maybe the world itself.

Something similar has happened in the last 12 years on the landscape of school feeding in India. The Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust, under the aegis of Sri Madhusudan Sai Global Humanitarian Mission , has achieved an unprecedented feat of serving 1,00,00,000 children with morning nutrition in different States of the country. What started as a voluntary endeavor to serve 50 children in 2012 ( a seed) has now grown like a banyan tree now serving millions of children across India!

The feat was celebrated as a ‘Power of Poshan’ Award ceremony held recently in the presence of the international cricketing legend, Jonty Rhodes , IIMR Director Tara Satyavathi, senior Karnataka IAS officer YS Patil, and over 250 members from the farmers' community, among others.

During the event, while defining the next milestone set for the Trust’s flagship ‘Nutrition’ mission, Sri Madhusudan Sai shared, “As we navigated the pandemic challenges, we remained steadfast in our commitment to ensure no child goes hungry. Before the pandemic, our Trust served 500,000 children daily. After schools reopened, we are now expanding our reach to 10 million children covering the schools in Karnataka and Telangana. This nutrition program is now implemented across 25 States and 4 UTs.”

“Holistic nutrition as opposed to just filling the stomach ought to be the approach and this is what the Annapoorna Morning Nutrition Programme is doing. The power of teamwork is something that I am very familiar with, by being in the game of cricket. I see that the scale that this nutrition program has reached is backed by the wonderful team of this institution who are sitting under this beautiful auditorium roof today. Many congratulations!” stated Jonty Rhodes during his address.

The event, hosted at the Sathya Sai Grama near Chikkaballapur in Karnataka, recognized the invaluable contributions of corporate partners, farmers, and key stakeholders, whose support has been instrumental in scaling up the nutrition program. One of the vital aspects of the Trust’s program is its strong collaboration with local farming communities. Partnering with nearly 1,000 farmers in Tumkur, Karnataka, the Trust procures 500 to 600 tons of millet grains monthly, not at the minimum support price but at the livelihood price, thus paying the farmers the gracious amount that they deserve. This sustainable relationship supports both rural livelihoods and the nutrition program, promoting economic growth of the farmers and taking care of the nourishment and health of their own children and others who study at government schools.

Under the visionary guidance of Sri Madhusudan Sai, the initiative has grown to become the world’s largest morning nutrition program, transforming the lives of millions of children. As the program continues to expand, the Trust’s mission remains unwavering: no child should go to school hungry ever. By investing in children's health today, the Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust is building a foundation for reduced future healthcare costs and fostering a generation of healthy, responsible citizens.

To know more, visit: https://annapoorna.org.in/