Mid-day meal

The beautiful Midday Meal support for students began as a private initiative of the director and teachers of the Government Junior College in Penukonda. They were deeply aware that many of their students were unable to afford lunch. Out of around 800 students, at least one third came from families facing financial hardship, which meant that many children went without a proper midday meal.

Moved by compassion, the school staff looked for ways to help these students in need. They collected money among themselves and also received support from people in the village. However, the available funds were often too limited to provide sufficient and regular assistance.

In 2015, the school approached the ashram for support, and the ashram contributed the missing INR 25,000 needed to sustain the program. From 2015 to 2017, lunches were provided annually for 120 underprivileged students from nearby villages who attended Penukonda Government Junior College. The annual support amounted to INR 125,000 in 2015, INR 173,000 in 2016, and INR 135,000 in 2017.

Since 2016, the ashram, through the Shirdi Sai Global Trust (SSGT), has taken over the full financial responsibility for this charitable activity. On average, about INR 150,000 per year has been dedicated to ensuring that students in need receive a daily midday meal.