A breakfast can change a child's morning
Namaste,
Welcome to the first community update. I’m Max. I’m a photographer and yoga teacher currently travelling India.
The purpose of this is to show the positive impact small groups of people can have in the world. Interspersed between my monthly 444s, I’ll share the progress of projects. These are local causes I’m connecting with.
I’ll share direct links to the projects when they’re available.
If you want to support the larger journey, I’ve started a ‘Buy Me A Coffee’ page. I don’t drink coffee, but have essential photography costs for editing and website hosting. Anything raised above this I’ll contribute to the causes.
Check out the page here.
Maitreya School
My extended stay at a buddhist meditation centre has led me to their school across the road. Maitreya School is a non-profit providing free education to 285 disadvantaged children.
Bihar is India’s poorest state. Families often send only one kid to school whilst the rest work. It’s difficult, poverty-stricken conditions. Maitreya is empowering the children to a brighter future.
Upon visits and friends volunteering there, we noticed the kids weren’t eating much. Little to no food in their lunch boxes. Some kids arriving to school having eaten nothing at all.
Breakfast for Maitreya School
A few friends and volunteers visiting the centre launched this project. The ‘Breakfast for Maitreya School’ project is an ongoing food program. It exists so the kids’ days start with learning, not with hunger.
We have different tiers of goals. The big vision is to offer a banana, peanuts and an egg each day of the week.
I’m astonished by how little money can travel so far:
€2 = breakfast for an entire class for a day;
€5 = 25 children to starting the day with energy;
€40 = breakfast for one child for the entire school year.
Find the gofundme donation link here.
My Involvement
I’ve been offering my media skills to add digital credibility and visibility to this project. It’s my first time capturing a humanitarian aid project. The imagery documents what I saw this school gives the children.
The school offers safety and connection. The kids bounce with joy with the space they’re given to thrive. I hope the images reflect this and it can become to a place to eat breakfast.
Find the gofundme donation link here. You can also contact the organisers through here for more information and how to be involved.
Follow the project on Instagram @breakfastformaitreya
Shareable images and template messages for family and friends are here.
I’ll be sharing more projects soon localised to my travels. I’ll provide updates to projects like this as they come. If you want to support the broader movements, you can donate to my ‘Buy Me A Coffee’ page here.
I’ll leave with this Venerable Thubten Wangdu quote that continues to stick:
‘You don’t have to do everything, but your something is greater than you think.’
<3
