The Breakfast Club: Students get nutritious morning meal

Y. Maheswara Reddy | NT

Bengaluru: The students at Ambedkarnagar Government Lower Primary School come from economically challenged homes - even adequate nutrition was a struggle during the year-long lockdown. Schools reopening came as a boon to them and they arrive bright and early these days, in anticipation of a hearty breakfast. As do 500 other kids, who go to schools in and around Whitefield, who don’t have to worry about coming to class on an empty stomach. Provided in addition to the midday meal, these kids get a nutritious breakfast as well as lunch.

This is part of Upahaar Breakfast, a 2019 initiative by volunteers of the Inner Wheel Club of Bangalore IT Corridor. They even noticed a jump in admissions since they began sponsoring breakfasts. The parents were happy and the children even happier, arriving at school with big smiles, in anticipation of breakfast - a boiled egg, a banana, a cookie and a pastry. Back in 2019, the meals were being supplied to around 200 students from two government schools.

“Most of our students come from poor families. Some of them lost weight due to the lack of nutritious food during the Covid-19 pandemic. I hope they regain the weight and their good health, said Violet E., headmistress of Ambedkarnagar Government Lower Primary School.

The Inner Wheel initiative was extended when volunteers met Sashi, of Bhojan Arpanam. “He agreed to supply breakfast at a lower price. It has helped us extend the initiative to three more government primary schools,” says Sarala Menon, Past President, IWCBITC. In 2019-20, breakfast was supplied to students of Thubarahalli Govt. Lower Primary School, Pattandur Agrahara Govt. Lower Primary School, Gandhipura Govt. Lower Primary School, Ambedkar Nagar Govt. Lower Primary School, Vijayanagara Govt. Lower Primary Schools.

When the lockdown hit and schools were closed, the volunteers found other ways to reach out. “We supplied groceries to the families of students,” said IWCBITC president, Anuradha Nambiar. Upahaar Breakfast is now being sponsored by IBS Software Pvt Ltd, as part of its CSR initiative. “IBS Software is happy to sponsor breakfast for the children. We have ensured transparency in the distribution process too. This year, we have added one more school to our list - Nagondanahalli Government Primary School,” said Nambiar.

Speaking with News Trail, Gayathri, the headmistress of the Thubarahalli Govt. Lower Primary School has said that around 160 students are being supplied with breakfast. “This initiative has made students attend classes on time. Parents as well as students are happy,” she said.