India’s Akshaya Patra Foundation partners with Kenya’s Food4Education to share expertise

The Akshaya Patra Foundation, the world’s largest NGO-run school meal program based in Bangalore, India, has announced a partnership with Kenya’s Food4Education to share best practices in implementing mid-day meal programmes for school children.

The collaboration aims to enhance educational outcomes by addressing malnutrition and ensuring children have access to nutritious meals.

The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding to serve as the knowledge partner for Food4Education.

Speaking during the announcement, Akshaya Patra Co-Founder and Vice Chairperson Sri Chanchalapathi Dasa emphasized the organization’s commitment to eradicating hunger among schoolchildren.

“It is our firm belief that every child should have equal access to nutrition, a principle that has driven our initiative for the past 24 years,” said Mr Dasa.

Currently serving 2.25 million children in India daily, Akshaya Patra brings expertise in large-scale kitchen operations, logistics, and safety.

The partnership aims to replicate these best practices in Kenya, ensuring efficient meal delivery and scaling the program across the continent.

Mr Dasa highlighted the alignment of the partnership with global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Zero Hunger (SDG 2) and Quality Education (SDG 4).

Beyond feeding programs, the initiative will promote environmental sustainability through renewable energy integration, waste reduction, and innovative meal preparation techniques.

Ms Wawira Njiru, Founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Food4Education, praised the partnership as a transformative model for international collaboration in school feeding programs.

“By highlighting the effectiveness of community-driven, scalable, and sustainable feeding initiatives, we hope to inspire further cross-border partnerships,” she said.

Ms Njiru commended Akshaya Patra for extending its charitable mission beyond India, calling the collaboration a significant step toward improving educational and health outcomes for children in Kenya.

Akshaya Patra’s chief executive officer (CEO), Mr Shridhar Venkat, reiterated the importance of international cooperation in tackling global challenges like malnutrition and climate change.

“We aim to set a global benchmark by leveraging school meal programs to create widespread social impact,” he said.

In its 25 years of operation, Akshaya Patra has partnered with the Indian government to deliver over 4 billion meals to children in 19,000 schools.

Its innovative kitchens produce 350 kilograms of organic waste daily, much of which is processed through biogas plants, generating clean energy for cooking operations.

Some kitchens also utilize solar photovoltaic systems to meet daytime energy needs, with surplus energy fed back into the grid.

Both organizations emphasized the transformative potential of the partnership.

Mr Venkat noted that their success is rooted in support from governments, corporate partners, donors, and communities.

“We are fortunate to be in a position where we can share our knowledge to serve children beyond India,” he said.

Ms Njiru noted: “This partnership is more than bilateral cooperation. It is a model of international collaboration to inspire further initiatives at local, national, and regional levels.”

Through this partnership, Akshaya Patra and Food4Education aim to create a sustainable and impactful school feeding model, ensuring that children in Kenya and beyond have the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

Food4Education started in 2012 where it fed 25 children from a makeshift kitchen. Henceforth, it has fledged into large-scale operation that currently provides meals to over 450,000 children daily.