In the quiet town of Jorhat, Assam, the Nayak family’s day starts a long before dawn. At 5 AM, 27-year-old Manoj Nayak and his elderly mother, Lilawati, are already working hard. Their small mud-and-bamboo house, surrounded by a modest vegetable garden, bustles with activity. The family’s two hogs need tending, and the household chores seem never-ending. Despite their hardships, there is a rhythm to their morning routine a sense of purpose that drives them forward.

Manoj’s children, Parvati and her younger brother are still asleep. At 6:30 AM, Manoj gently wakes them up. Parvati, a shy 9-year-old, is in the 4th grade, while her 6-year-old brother is in the 1st grade at 124 No. Hatigarh Metelimedhi LPS. Their school, located adjacent to a sprawling tea garden estate, is nothing more than two large halls divided into five classes. Despite its humble condition, it is a place of learning and hope for the children of the tea garden workers.

By 7:30 AM, the entire family is ready to face the day. Manoj drops his children at school before heading to his job at the Chenijan Tea Gardens. Once at school, Parvati and her brother settle into their respective classes. The school’s basic structure, with its bare walls and simple benches, stands as a testament to the community’s resilience and dedication to education. Despite the lack of facilities, the children are eager to learn. 

Manoj’s workplace is around 3 km away from the school. The beautiful lush green landscape of the tea gardens stretches out as far as the eye can see, a stark contrast to the hardships workers' face. Manoj’s workday starts at 8 AM, where the contractor assigns him various tasks. “It’s been 4.5 years since I joined the tea gardens. Each day brings a new challenge—transporting tea leaves, spraying pesticides, painting the quarters near tea estate, or any urgent task that comes up,” Manoj explains.
 
The midday sun casts a warm glow over the tea gardens, signalling Manoj’s short break. He hurries home for a quick lunch and a brief nap before returning to work at 2 PM. “The first half of my work is from 8 to 12. After 12, it becomes scorching outside, so we have a break to eat and rest,” Manoj shares. The afternoon shift is particularly gruelling, especially in the summer heat. The monsoon season brings even more challenges, with heavy rains often flooding the area and halting work. “During the monsoons, the rainwater floods our home and the tea gardens. Work stops, and without work, there’s no pay. It’s a difficult time for us. The only source of income is trading the hogs. It isn’t much, but it is enough to feed the family for a week or so,” Manoj sighs.

Despite these struggles, Manoj’s spirit remains unbroken. “I want my children to study hard and live a better life. My elder one, Parvati, dreams of becoming a teacher.” he says, his voice filled with hope. He recalls, “One day, she said - Baba, I want to be like Mousumi ma’am. She teaches us Assamese, and she’s so kind. I could see the determination in her eyes. Her teacher says that she is always quite in the class. Even at home, she doesn’t speak much. But I can understand what she wants to say.”

Parvati and her brother benefit significantly from the Akshaya Patra school feeding programme. They receive hot, nutritious meals daily as part of the PM POSHAN Abhiyaan. “My children are happy with the lunch served in school. It covers the breakfast they skip at home,” Manoj notes. Parvati’s face lights up as she adds, “I like the khichdi and kheer served in school. It’s very tasty.”

Just like the Nayak family, Akshaya Patra has been a light of hope for millions of families since its inception. These families are happy that they don’t need to worry about every day meals for their children. With this school feeding programme, 2.2 million children like Parvati and her brother are nourished and able to pursue their dreams. Akshaya Patra’s efforts align with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-2: eradicate hunger and SDG-4 provide quality education), giving children the foundation to build a better future.