Ritesh can be a normal child

Ritesh, who lives in Pune, India, is the youngest of his parents’ four children. His father works as a part-time waiter in a small restaurant and his mother sells secondhand clothes on the side of the road in the market. The family also raises pigeons for supplementary income, bringing their monthly earnings to about 5,000 rupees ($100) per month, depending on the season and availability of work. Although his parents are attentive and hard-working, their income is often not enough to provide for their family of six, and Ritesh and his siblings benefit from the daily meals that they receive at the Ashraya Initiative for Children’s Education Outreach Centre. These meals help to ensure that Ritesh is able to focus on his studies and be a normal child – playing and making friends in his free time – without feeling dizzy and tired or having to worry where his next meal is coming from.

Ritesh has just started second standard at an English-medium school and is making rapid progress. His parents are very grateful for the support that he and his siblings receive through this program, and the peace of mind that it gives them to know that his nutritional needs are being looked after. Thank you, Nanda, Patricia, Ojus, and Microsoft, for helping Ritesh live a healthier life!