IDUKKI: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, say nutritionists. However, for the children at the Government Tribal Higher Secondary School in Murikkattukudi, it is luxury. With their parents --- predominantly tribals and plantation workers --- leaving home early in the morning for work, most children are left to fend for themselves.
They reach the school every day on an empty stomach and starve till the noon meal is provided at the school. Exhausted children throwing up water in the backyard has been a regular sight. Come this Friday, all this is set to change, thanks to Lincy George, a primary section teacher at Murikkattukudi tribal HSS. She is on a mission to serve hot breakfast to hundreds of starving children, mostly from the Murikkattukudi, Kannampadi and Kodalippara tribal settlements.
“Some families struggle to provide even one proper meal to their children and the lunch served at the school is the only food for them,” Lincy told TNIE. With the fund allotted by the government, the school has been able to provide noon meal to nearly 300 students from classes 1 to 8.
And when a Plus-Two student at the school approached Lincy saying that she had been starving the whole day, she took the initiative to provide meal to 50 more children from higher classes. The PTA at the school, fellow teachers and some other kind hearts too who came forward offering their financial support.
“Once we get funds, more children will be served food. I’ve placed a request for support before the panchayat so that all children can be served food every day,” she said. Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose will inaugurate the programme at the school on Friday.