Homelessness is a concern not just in developing nations, but also in developed nations. India is among the top 10 countries with maximum homeless population. Akshaya Patra, an NGO in India has stepped in to support homeless mothers by providing their daily share of food.
Homelessness is a serious problem across the world. It is a concern faced by both developing and developed countries. Though the definition of homelessness differs across countries, the United Nations Economic and Social Council Statement broadly defines it as, ‘When we are talking about housing, we are not just talking about four walls and a roof. The right to adequate housing is about security of tenure, affordability, access to services and cultural adequacy. It is about protection from forced eviction and displacement, fighting homelessness, poverty and exclusion.’
Homelessness in India
In India, homelessness is defined as, ‘those who do not live in Census houses, but rather stay on pavements, roadsides, railway platforms, staircases, under flyovers, streets, in hume pipes, or other open spaces like places of worship etc.’ India ranks 6th among top 10 countries with significant homeless population and has the highest number of street children in the world. The other countries being Nigeria, Egypt, Indonesia, China, Haiti, Zimbabwe, Honduras, Germany, and United States. According to Census 2011, there are 17.7 lakhs homeless people in India with urban areas having the highest concentration of more than 9 lakhs homeless people.
Homelessness is one of the worst kinds of human rights violation. It not only deprives people of shelter, but also compromises their safety. Homelessness also limits accessibility to food, healthcare, well-being, employment opportunities, and education. The homeless population consists of men, women, mothers, the elderly, and the disabled. There are many NGOs in India that address different needs of the homeless population. Some organisations feed the needy, some provide necessary items like clothes, blankets, etc. and yet others work towards making healthcare, education, and employment opportunities available for this section of people.
Homeless women, in particular, are the most vulnerable and suffer the worst kind of violence and exploitation. Homeless mothers spend sleepless nights while safeguarding their children, especially daughters. In addition, there are also 40 million widowed women in India who are abandoned by their families and children. Among the widows are single mothers, pregnant women, and aged women.
Akshaya Patra’s intervention
In an effort to ensure homeless mothers receive their daily share of healthy meals, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO in India has stepped in to provide food relief. At present, the Foundation is providing food to thousands of homeless mothers in Vrindavan. On an average, a moderately active women should consume 1800-2200 calories per day. To meet this requirement, Akshaya Patra provides freshly prepared, nutritious, and hygienic meals everyday to homeless mothers. These meals support their health and also instils a sense of ‘being cared for’.
Akshaya Patra is a reputed mid-day meal NGO in India. It has been nourishing school children with nutritious meals for the past 21 years. Akshaya Patra provides mid-day meals to 18,00,907 children on each school day across 58 locations in 13 States and 1 Union Territory. The Foundation has always contributed to food relief activities during crisis situations like natural disasters and COVID-19 pandemic.
Feed the needy homeless mothers with Akshaya Patra
In order to continue the feeding programme for homeless mothers, Akshaya Patra requires the help of donors and supporters. Every penny of NGO donations is an assurance that the beneficiary homeless mothers will receive their share of food every day. You can help Akshaya Patra in an instant by contributing an online donation at the click of a button. Your contribution will uphold dignity of the homeless mothers, support their health and give them the assurance of receiving nutritious food every day. Donate generously to feed the needy homeless mothers and spread the word about this feeding programme too.
Rejuvenating health of children
Akshaya Patra foundation is an NGO in India which follows Midday meal guidelines and provides healthy meals and snacks to the students which fortifies the nutrition requirements of the beneficiariesDeductions Qualifying For Tax Exemption
Akshaya patra is an NGO in Bangalore working towards eliminating classroom hunger through midday meals. By being a part of this venture by donating to this noble cause one can not only get the satisfaction of doing good but also enjoy tax benefitsLet your benevolence reach its destination by donating a delivery van
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a midday meal scheme implementor since past 21 years. It provides freshly prepared, nutritious meals to more than 1.8 million children across India, on each school day.