Rise Against Hunger India to Empower Over 1,000 Adolescents Through Nutrition-Integrated Life Skills Education

Bangalore (January 7): Rise Against Hunger India (RAHI) has scaled up its pioneering nutrition-integrated life skills education programme for adolescents and young adults, following a successful pilot in Bhubaneswar. Through a robust Training of Trainers (ToT) initiative, 26 NGO partners and 53 trainers are now equipped to deliver structured modules across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad.

The programme, designed to address the critical link between nutrition and overall well-being, aims to empower young people to make informed choices for their health. Modules cover themes such as healthy eating habits, hygiene, clean cooking practices, and awareness around ultra-processed, high-fat, and high-calorie foods.

“Adolescence is a ‘second window of opportunity’ to shape nutritional and health outcomes and address gaps from early childhood. Through this initiative, we aim to build agency among young people so they can make informed choices about food and their personal well-being,” said Mr. Dola Mohapatra, Chief Executive Officer, Rise Against Hunger India.

He added that the programme seeks to foster leadership among adolescents, enabling them to become role models and change agents within their communities.

The programme is delivered through schools, community centres, and youth groups, leveraging a cascade model where trained NGO partners and peer educators impart life skills education within their communities. Integrated into RAHI’s broader nutrition strategy, the initiative complements efforts to provide nutritious meals, reinforcing the link between nourishment, learning outcomes, and overall development.

Each trained educator will support a group of 40–50 adolescents who will complete a ten-part module through activity-based group sessions and peer learning meetings. With 26 NGO partners on board, the programme is expected to reach over 1,000 adolescents in its initial phase, creating a strong foundation for scale and impact.

Over the past decade, Rise Against Hunger India has served more than 40 million meals and reached 3.8 million people through its food security and livelihood programmes, working with grassroots NGOs, rural communities and humanitarian partners.