<p class="rtejustify">Their eyes lit up as they tore open a white plastic packet containing a banana, a bun, a biscuit and a hard boiled egg.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">These students, many of who are children of migrant construction labourers in Whitefield, ate their first meal on Thursday since the government-sponsored lunch the day before. Now, they'll eat a free breakfast every morning, that is only if they stay in the same place long enough.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Upahaar — a collaboration between Inner Wheel Club of Bangalore IT Corridor (IWCBITC) and Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor — is a pilot programme that provides breakfast to 250 students at the government schools in Pattandur Agrahara and Gandhipura in East Bengaluru. The initiative is sponsored by IT company, IBS.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Food is the motivating factor for them to come to school," said former IWCBITC president Sarala Menon.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Many of these schoolchildren suffer from stunted growth, have sunken eyes, breathing problems and white patches on their faces — all signs of malnourishment, according to club member Seema Rohan.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">But malnourishment isn't the only challenge these students face.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">They frequently switch schools as their parents are always on the move in search of new jobs. Approximately 80% of the students at Pattandur Agrahara stay in school for four to five years, while 20% stick on for only one or two years, according to headmaster Muniraju.</p>
<p class="rtejustify">Their eyes lit up as they tore open a white plastic packet containing a banana, a bun, a biscuit and a hard boiled egg.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">These students, many of who are children of migrant construction labourers in Whitefield, ate their first meal on Thursday since the government-sponsored lunch the day before. Now, they'll eat a free breakfast every morning, that is only if they stay in the same place long enough.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Upahaar — a collaboration between Inner Wheel Club of Bangalore IT Corridor (IWCBITC) and Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor — is a pilot programme that provides breakfast to 250 students at the government schools in Pattandur Agrahara and Gandhipura in East Bengaluru. The initiative is sponsored by IT company, IBS.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Food is the motivating factor for them to come to school," said former IWCBITC president Sarala Menon.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Many of these schoolchildren suffer from stunted growth, have sunken eyes, breathing problems and white patches on their faces — all signs of malnourishment, according to club member Seema Rohan.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">But malnourishment isn't the only challenge these students face.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">They frequently switch schools as their parents are always on the move in search of new jobs. Approximately 80% of the students at Pattandur Agrahara stay in school for four to five years, while 20% stick on for only one or two years, according to headmaster Muniraju.</p>