KAKINADA: In a first-of-its-kind non-government project in the State, over five lakh students of 42 government schools were served nutritional breakfast in U Kothapalli and Thondangi mandals in Kakinada district. All thanks to Hare Krishna Movement Charitable Trust (HKMCT), which launched a pilot project on December 25 last year at Perumallapuram with the support of Aurobindo Pharma Foundation (APF).
Most children in rural areas attend schools without proper breakfast owing to their socio-economic conditions. This reflects on their health and performance at school. In a move to address this issue, the foundation came up with this unique project to support these schools by feeding nutritious meals to students prepared in hygienic conditions.
The breakfast meals are prepared as per nutritional standards for children. Millet, a crucial component of the meal, helps in providing a balanced diet to the students. “We are served idli, upma and bajji. The meals are not just nutritional but tasty as well,” said Sruthi, a student of Mulapeta ZPHS.
Notably, class attendance in the schools has improved remarkably after the foundation started this project. “Breakfast as well as mid-day meals are helping us to concentrate better on our studies,” the student added.
The project with an outlay of around Rs 10 crore covers the construction of the kitchen along with the required infrastructure and operational cost of the kitchen for a period of four years. The kitchen has been built in an area of 5,500 sq ft on a two-acre of land in Perumallapuram village, which was donated by Kakinada SEZ Ltd.