A free breakfast scheme at PSG Sarvajana HSS allows children from underprivileged homes to eat a healthy meal at the start of day, finds out Subha J Rao
It’s eight a.m. and there’s a steady trickle of students to the PSG College of Technology canteen. Among them is a bunch of school kids who walk in, mark their attendance, and eat a hot, filling breakfast of idli, sambar, chutney and a pongal or khichdi. Then, they cross the overbridge into their school and their respective classes.
Just three months ago, during the morning assembly, children, sometimes, would crumple to the ground in a faint. In the first period, teachers would face students who were listless and had little energy to concentrate on class.
That’s when the teachers and management of PSG Sarvajana HSS decided something must be done to help the children. They spoke to many of the students and their teachers and discovered that nearly 100 children (from Classes 6 to 12) in the school were going without breakfast.
Many left home as early as 6.30 a.m. to reach school by 9 a.m. or earlier for special classes. Others came from households too impoverished to provide them breakfast. Thus was born the free breakfast scheme for these children, funded by the faculty and students of PSG Institute of Management (PSGIM).
Siva Shanmugham of 6 A leaves his home in Perur at 6.15 a.m., Naveen of Class 10 at 7 a.m., and B. Senthil Kumar of Class 12 leaves his home in Annur Pachapalayam at 6.30 a.m. They all say the breakfast in school has made a huge difference to their lives. Sometimes, they would eat pazhaya soru for breakfast. But, by the time they reached school, we would be hungry again, they say.
M. Shobana Devi of Class 12, who travels from Semmedu, recalls how before the scheme began, she would feel very tired even during the first period. Gokilavani, of Class 12, who travels from Somanur, used to regularly skip breakfast. “Kannu irunduttu varum,” she says.
M. Hemalatha of Class 10 survived on just coffee for two years. “Now, I feel much better. I am attentive in class,” she says.
Angeline Jennifer eats the idlis with relish. “Enakku idli romba pidikkum,” she says. School principal R. Rajeswari says that for many of their school children, the concept of ‘tiffin’ is a novelty.
“For them, idli, chutney and sambar are like manna.” Many children come from underprivileged backgrounds; some parents leave very early to work in the fields or mills; some others are too tired fighting poverty to even buy provisions and send their kids to school on a full stomach, she says.
Quality checks
Ninety-seven children are part of the free breakfast scheme, and on any given day, about 70 of them turn up for breakfast. A student is nominated to mark attendance. To ensure the quality of food, teachers check the contents on the breakfast table and occasionally eat there too. Three teachers — T. Srividhya, S. Sivakumar and Beulah Joy Margret — are vital members of the programme.
Sivakumar, programme coordinator, says that the breakfast scheme has brought about a perceptible difference in concentration levels. Some students who were lagging behind in class now come within the top five ranks.
The programme cost works out to about Rs. 45,000 a month (for providing breakfast to children for 20 working days), says R. Nandagopal, director, PSG IM. “The contributions are entirely voluntary and any shortfall is made up by the management.”
The best part of the breakfast programme is the unexpected bonding between those in the college and the school kids. As we speak to him, Dileepan, 13, a Class 8 student, asks: “Akka, can I please have breakfast with that anna?” and points in the direction of 21-year-old Vijaykumar who works in the Robotics Department. The two became friends in the canteen.
It does not stop with just friendship. Many college students also help the school kids by buying stationery and books, says Dr. Nandagopal. “Most importantly, when they see the college students, they are inspired to aim higher.”
Keywords: free breakfast scheme, PSG Sarvajana HSS, child nutrition, Coimbatore, malnutrition, hunger
I feel sorry that none of the readers got the point!!! Why these children have to travel 2 hours (approx) to the school? Because there is not enough "QUALITY" schools. Instead of providing food, we must concentrate more in increasing and distributing the school so that its easy for children to attend. Providing food is good but its a short term solution. In the long run, its not going to work. Today most of the schools are concentrated in the cities and the result is what we see in this article. We need more thinking from this perspective.
This is exemplary!! More such initiatives should be promoted. It feels
good to know that someone out there cares. The children will certainly
benefit more on a happy stomach.
The photograph says it all... Warm wishes to the management of PSG college and to everyone who are involved in helping out these kids by some means. When love and care are fast disappearing in this mechanical life, it felt good to hear that, there are still some souls who really do care. Many thanks to "The Hindu" for publishing this article.
Hats off to everyone.
Really, the photo of the needy children eating in this article moved my
heart. and i bow to the staff who conceived this. If any voluntary
donations are possible for this great venture, please email me. I would
pitch in as I can afford.
Regards
While this is a good remedy temporarily, should not we force Govt to disclose their plan to eradicate the NEED of such programs? Is not teaching how to earn food is more good than the food itself? Will Hindu publish such analysis - for greater good for India.
Good job done. More important is the publicity as there are enough
foreign funded organisations which spread negative publicity about
indian schools and organisations
As an alumni, I feel extremely proud of the initiative taken by the management and students of PSGIM. Dr. Nandagopal, keep up the good work!
M. Mathews
MPIB Batch of 2000
a very constructive steps taken by the college and the volunteers..implementing a well needed schemes is a signal towards making a society. this idea should get diffused through out the country so that it would it help needy.
HATS OFF TO YOU ALL........
I would like to congratulate the management and students of PSG college for the wonderful service they are doing. this is a great thing and it is news like this that keeps us going in this otherwise insensitive world.
It brings back the faith in the society that there are still good people motivated to do good for their poor brethern.
May god bless the students and management of PSG group
Its indeed a great help to the students. Many thanks to the Management who helps by providing the funds of Shortage and also those 3 staff members who are the intiatives of such a marvelous great scheme :) Very happy for u and keep up the good work. If public like me wants to contribute for the above scheme, please provide the required information for the same which will be helpful to make the required contribution.
That is a real gesture from the management of Psg college at Coimbatore to the young
Kids from the poorer sections of society. CP.Chandra das
Hats off to the organisers of the Breakfast Scheme !This yet again proves that the
world is not yet devoid of caring people.
This story takes me back to my school days, 67 years ago, in the Hindu High
School Triplicane Chennai. Our School was having a Mid-day Meal Programme for
the underprivilaged students who were provided with Meals during the Lunch time.
The cost of the Scheme was met by the School Management. To supplement cost,
the students and the Teachers used to stage two dramas each year and the
proceeds of the sale of tickets would go to this Mid day meal fund.
I was reminded of those great days reading this great act of the Coimbatore
School.
Thanks.
breakfast scheme helpful for poor children-bestwishes
s.sivakumar
Beautiful story. It fills my heart with pain when I compare swimming pools and free airfare to school students in developed countries with a something as small as free breakfast which goes such a long way in a poor country like ours. I wish we as a society did more, much more for these children who are the future of our country.
I applaud the PSG management and school teachers for their benevolent act. The concept of open university wherein the higher educational institutions go beyond the academic activities and engage in activities serving the local community is prevalent in countries like US and UK. It is great to hear that private institution like PSG making an impact in community. I am saddened by the grim truth that many students go school without breakfast. Free breakfast scheme nourishes kids body and mind. My best wishes for the project team to sustain this initiative.
Great story. Proud to have studied at PSG Tech
its really a very noble act. I had tears in my eyes once i finished reading the article. God bless the souls who took this initiative and sustaining it.
Both PSGIM and the High School are to be commended for this scheme. Unfortunately
there are thousands of children who attend school on an empty stomach every morning. If
every college adopts this scheme jointly with a neighbourhood school, it will go a long way
in alleviating hunger in our classrooms.
It's very heartening to see such good soals around who thinks of children and society. I
would be happy to come forward to contribute for such good cause .Can you connect me to
the right person in PSG HSS
- Sundar
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