- 22 May, 2025
May 22, 2025
In the bustling city of Noida, Uttar Pradesh, an unassuming office hums with a mission that has transformed the lives of thousands across India. This is the headquarters of BREAD – the Board for Research, Education and Development – a public charitable trust dedicated to feeding and educating children living in underprivileged communities in various parts of India. At the heart of this initiative is Father Joson Tharakan John, a Catholic priest, a trained lawyer, and a social visionary who dared to walk off the beaten path to follow a calling rooted in justice, compassion, and empowerment.
A native of Thrissur, Kerala, Father Joson was ordained as a priest of the Indian Missionary Society in 1994. He belongs to the Delhi province of the society. After completing his legal education at Kurukshetra University and enrolling with the Bar Council of Delhi, he began practising law. During this phase, he encountered the harsh realities of rural poverty that would ultimately redirect the course of his priestly vocation.
The Turning Point
In the early 2000s, while conducting legal empowerment seminars for self-help groups in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, Fr. Joson was struck by a troubling reality—many of the women he was addressing were uneducated, and their children were out of school. When asked why, the mothers’ answer was heartbreaking: “We don’t have enough food for our children, so how can we send them to school?”
That moment of reckoning became a turning point for Fr. Joson. “ He knew he had to address the root of the problem: hunger.
The Birth of BREAD
Inspired to act, Fr. Joson began a grassroots initiative to support children's education by providing essentials like food, books, uniforms, and shoes. In 2002, while on a visit to Scotland, he met Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow OBE, the founder and CEO of Mary’s Meals International, a Scottish charity that had just begun its work of feeding poor children in Malawi. Their meeting marked the beginning of a powerful partnership. A shared vision united them: to ensure that no child is denied an education because of hunger.
Though the collaboration began in spirit in 2003, legal hurdles and ecclesiastical permissions delayed the formal launch of Fr. Joson’s initiative in India. Finally, on April 21, 2009, Fr. Joson registered the Board for Research, Education and Development (BREAD) as a public charitable trust based in Noida.
Services Provided by BREAD
BREAD focuses on supporting children from marginalised communities such as rag-pickers, slum dwellers, and those living on railway platforms and brick kilns. It provides education and nutritional support to these children.
Since its inception, BREAD has served as the exclusive partner of Mary’s Meals International in India, working tirelessly to deliver nutritious meals daily to nearly 61,000 underprivileged school children in several states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.
Beyond school meals, BREAD also runs initiatives like Mother’s Care and Mother’s Leap, providing scholarships, skill training, and support for higher education for children from low-income backgrounds. These programmes help ensure that such children are empowered for life.
Challenges and Triumphs
Despite their achievements, the journey for BREAD has been far from easy. Delivering food to remote, often Naxalite-infested regions of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh poses logistical nightmares.
“Reaching raw food to cook in far-flung schools remains one of our biggest challenges,” says Fr. Joson. “And finding reliable personnel to manage these programmes in such dangerous areas is another hurdle.”
Yet, despite these challenges, the fruits of BREAD’s labour are evident. Fr. Joson shares the story of a young girl from Dasana slum in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. “Her community never sent girls to school. But she enrolled, got support through our programme, completed her pre-university studies, and is now pursuing graduation. Her journey—from a slum to university—is a victory for all of us.”
Recognition Received
In 2015, BREAD was honoured as the Best NGO in Gautam Buddh Nagar, and its collaborative work with Mary’s Meals has gained recognition both in India and internationally. With six offices across various states and a presence in some of India’s most underserved areas, BREAD continues to be a beacon of hope for many.
A Call to Action
Fr. Joson’s message to people is simple but powerful: “Education is the only tool that can transform human lives. The motto of BREAD is 'Empowerment through Education'. And I strongly believe that education can bring about a positive change in society. So let us all work towards the education of children.”
In a world often overwhelmed by problems, Fr. Joson Tharakan John and BREAD India offer a simple, powerful solution—feed a child, and you feed the future.
BREAD holds a valid FCRA licence, allowing it to receive international donations. Supporters can contribute easily through the organisation’s website, which includes a QR code for seamless donations. For those interested in supporting or collaborating with BREAD, more information is available on their official website and social media platforms.
Contact Information
Address: A-262, Sector-19, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301
Phone: +91 95990 77827
Email: breadnoida@gmail.com
Website: breadnoida.org
Instagram: @breadnoida
By Catholic Connect Reporter
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