Seven-year-old Sanya from Bangalore was just about four years when her father died. Her mother, Padma had to fend alone for both of them as their in-laws became indifferent and one day, both mother and daughter were asked to leave the house. Shobha started living in constant fear and grief; she suffered in hunger alone with her mother.

It was a difficult phase. Sanya started to work as a daily wage earner with her mother, but secretly she wanted to go to school. They had nothing -- no money, no belongings. Working for food was their only motive for living, carrying bricks, cooking, cleaning dishes, even sweeping.

When Sanya’s mother found out about The Akshaya Patra Foundation and the nutritional support they provided, she immediately enrolled her in a Government school nearby. She is happy that Sanya is eating at least one nutritious meal every day. Most of the children like Sanya come from very humble families and battle hunger on an everyday basis.

Sanya goes to school now. She has started talking to people, even making friends and playing with them. She wishes to become a teacher when she grows up.

“Ashwani ma'am, who teaches us Math, is my favourite teacher. I admire her and aspire to be like her. She is exceptional; she never hesitates to answer my queries, even when I ask them ten times. Although I don't particularly enjoy Math, her compassion and teaching style greatly motivate me. I'd want to point out that all teachers work incredibly hard to ensure that we receive high grades. I adore my teachers and want to express my sincere gratitude for all they do,” Sanya says. 

Sanya says that the mid-day meals served in school helps her stay focused during class hours and do well in academics. Her favourite items in the menu are rice and sambar. 

“We all aspire to be something in the future and we serve our country in various capacities. In a similar vein, I hope to teach and help students succeed in their academic endeavours. I want to build a school where I can give the underprivileged, free education. Any country's future depends on its children, so we should treat them with respect. One of the most frequent areas where we learn is in school, yet, we learn things from various places. I truly want to become a teacher since they are the ones that lead you out of the darkness,” adds Sanya. 

Sanya is a 7-year-old beneficiary of the Government’s Mid-Day Meal Programme implemented by The Akshaya Patra Foundation that serves more than 2 million children across the country every school day.