Dining Services Menu A - rev
The Academy's dining services provide a varied menu throughout the week. We aim for meals to be nutritious and delicious and for mealtimes to be an important aspect of Academy life. We are committed to providing balanced vegetarian and non-vegetarian options for all meals.
Menu for 13–19 April 2015
Monday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Scrambled eggs Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchCarrot ginger soup Salad bar Greek chicken with baked potato wedges / Croquette Roast chicken Vegetable korma Chocolate mousse |
DinnerClear vegetable soup Salad bar Curried beef Matoke Khadhi Carrot and cabbage pickle Bread and butter pudding |
Tuesday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Eggs frittata Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchMinestrone soup Salisbury steak with gravy / beef pizza Salisbury steak Ugali Paneer kadai Crème caramel |
DinnerCream of spinach soup Salad bar Spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce Fried rice |
Wednesday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Pancakes, beef sausage Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchBeef vegetable soup Crumbed fish with lemon butter sauce / fish fingers Pan fried fish Ugali with sukuma Bean curry, okra curry Pumpkin cake |
DinnerCream of tomato soup Stir fried chicken Stir fried rice Stir fried vegetables Vegetable manchurian balls Stir fried rice Naan |
Thursday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Poached eggs Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchButternut squash soup Sweet and sour chicken / stir fried chicken Roast chicken Vegetable macaroni Focaccia bread Peas Plantain in coconut sauce |
DinnerCream of vegetable soup Salad bar Beef stroganoff Fresh mangoes |
Friday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Country scrambled eggs Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchLeek potato soup Fried fish and chips with tartar sauce / fish fingers Sweet and chilli paneer Fish Ugali and sukuma Ice cream |
DinnerVegetable broth Chicken pizza Fruit triffle |
Saturday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Plain or masala omelette Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchTomato basil soup Tandoori chicken Daal Naan, rice Banana cake |
DinnerClear vegetable soup Beef kebabs in herb sauce Spaghetti Vegetable aloo gunda Spaghetti Focaccia bread Fresh seasonal fruit |
Sunday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Fried eggs Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchCarrot ginger soup Chicken curry Fruit strudel |
DinnerMushroom soup Hot dog / roll Vegetable tempura Sautéed potatoes Banana in chocolate |
Dining Services Menu C - rev
The Academy's dining services provide a varied menu throughout the week. We aim for meals to be nutritious and delicious and for mealtimes to be an important aspect of Academy life. We are committed to providing balanced vegetarian and non-vegetarian options for all meals.
Menu for 25–31 August 2014
Monday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Boiled or scrambled eggs Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchCarrot ginger soup Keema curry with garden peas Watermelon slices |
DinnerLeek and potato soup Pan-fried fish with tartare sauce Fruit strudel |
Tuesday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Boiled eggs or eggs frittata Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchCream of tomato soup Swiss chicken with rice pilaf Crème caramel |
DinnerGreen pea soup Beef pizza or vegetarian pizza English cake |
Wednesday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Boiled eggs, pancakes, beef sausage Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchClear vegetable soup Banana cake |
DinnerSweet potato soup Fish in masala sauce Fruit crumble |
Thursday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Boiled or poached eggs Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchBeef vegetable soup Balti chicken curry Pineapple slices |
DinnerCream of vegetable soup Beef stew with vegetable rice and ugali Vanilla cake |
Friday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Boiled or country scrambled eggs Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchChicken and sweetcorn soup Macaroni beef and cheese bake Ice cream |
DinnerCabbage Soup Chicken makhani (murg makhani) Passion jelly |
Saturday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Plain or masala omelette Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchCauliflower soup Mango mousse |
DinnerBroccoli soup Fish in coconut sauce Pineapple turnover |
Sunday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Fried eggs Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchLentil soup Watermelon slices |
DinnerChicken noodle soup Meatballs in tomato sauce Pancakes with orange sauce |
Dining Services Menu B - rev
The Academy's dining services provide a varied menu throughout the week. We aim for meals to be nutritious and delicious and for mealtimes to be an important aspect of Academy life. We are committed to providing balanced vegetarian and non-vegetarian options for all meals.
Menu for 20–26 April 2015
Monday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Scrambled eggs Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchBeef vegetable soup Crumbed fish / fish fingers Matoke Bhindi do pyaza Fresh fruit |
DinnerCream of vegetable soup Salad bar Beef in mushroom sauce Ugali Swiss roll |
Tuesday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Eggs frittata Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchYellow lentil soup Salad bar Naan Jeera rice Seasonal vegetables Roast chicken Ugali and fried cabbage Vegetable corn masala Rice Naan Cream caramel |
DinnerFrench onion soup Salad bar Mutton pilau Vermicelli |
Wednesday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Eggs, pancakes, beef sausage Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchGreen pea soup Salad bar Focaccia bread Vegetable macaroni cheese bake
Focaccia bread
Green beans Githeri |
DinnerCream of tomato soup Sweet and sour chicken Black bean curry (nijahi) Ice cream |
Thursday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Poached eggs Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchVegetable broth Crumbed chicken / chicken balls Matoke Okra and spinach curry Crème caramel |
DinnerLeek potato soup Salad bar Chapati Fresh mangoes |
Friday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Country scrambled eggs Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchCauliflower soup Chicken biryani Cabbage and pickle curry Cucumber raita Spaghetti Pomodoro Mung biryani Ice cream |
DinnerMinestrone soup Chicken Cacciatore with spaghetti Roti Dal makhni Fruit pie |
Saturday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Plain or masala omelette Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchVegetable corn soup Stir fried Chinese beef Stir fried rice Stir fried vegetables Spring rolls Pineapple upside down cake |
DinnerCream of vegetable soup Salad bar Paneer tikka on skewers Naan Jeera rice Achar vegetables |
Sunday |
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BreakfastFresh fruit juice Fried eggs Hot milk, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate |
LunchCream of sweet potato soup Garlic fish in coconut sauce Fruit triffle |
DinnerClear vegetable soup Salad bar Vegetable kebab Sautéed potatoes
Coleslaw |
Dining Services Menu 1 and 3
The Academy's dining services provide a varied menu throughout the week. We aim for meals to be nutritious and delicious and for mealtimes to be an important aspect of Academy life. We are committed to providing balanced vegetarian and non-vegetarian options for all meals.
Menu for 29 August – 4 September 2016
Monday |
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BreakfastCornflakes Mid-morning snack: |
LunchChicken methi Evening snack: |
DinnerSeasonal veg dry
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Tuesday |
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BreakfastStrawberry cornflakes Mid-morning snack: |
LunchRajma curry Evening snack: |
DinnerSeasonal veg masala |
Wednesday |
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BreakfastHoney cornflakes Mid-morning snack: |
LunchVeg biryani Evening snack: |
DinnerMix veg khorma |
Thursday |
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BreakfastChoco cornflakes Mid-morning snack: |
LunchChicken manchurian Evening snack: |
DinnerChicken pasanda |
Friday |
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BreakfastHoney cornflakes Mid-morning snack: |
LunchUttapam Evening snack: |
DinnerSeasonal veg masala
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Saturday |
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BreakfastCornflakes |
LunchNavratna khorma Evening snack: |
DinnerEgg omlette curry
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Sunday |
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BreakfastCornflakes
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LunchKadai chicken Evening snack: |
DinnerChicken fried rice |
Dining Services Menu 2 and 4
The Academy's dining services provide a varied menu throughout the week. We aim for meals to be nutritious and delicious and for mealtimes to be an important aspect of Academy life. We are committed to providing balanced vegetarian and non-vegetarian options for all meals.
Menu for 5–11 September 2016
Monday |
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BreakfastCornflakes Mid-morning snack: |
LunchChicken khorma Evening snack:
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DinnerSeasonal veg dry |
Tuesday |
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BreakfastHoney cornflakes Mid-morning snack: |
LunchCholle Evening snack: |
DinnerEgg bhujia curry |
Wednesday |
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BreakfastStrawberry cornflakes Mid-morning snack: |
LunchVeg biryani Evening snack: |
DinnerVeg niligiri khorma |
Thursday |
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BreakfastChoco cornflakes Mid-morning snack: |
LunchMushroom veg khorma Evening snack: |
DinnerEgg roast curry |
Friday |
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BreakfastChoco cornflakes Mid-morning snack: |
LunchGrilled chicken with brown sauce Evening snack: |
DinnerSeasonal veg dry |
Saturday |
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BreakfastCornflakes Mid-morning snack: |
LunchChicken chettinad Evening snack: |
DinnerNutri veg masala
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Sunday |
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BreakfastCornflakes |
LunchButter chicken Evening snack: |
DinnerChilli chicken |
Alisha Sonawalla - pushing the frontiers of technology
Alisha Sonawalla was part of AKA Hyderabad’s first graduating batch, the Class of 2014. Since then, she has accumulated an extraordinary set of experiences during a gap year and subsequently at university in New York City before joining Microsoft in Seattle this summer (2019). These experiences range from heading projects geared at exposing girls in rural India to coding and internet technologies, to designing English language development programmes in Tajikistan, and most recently, to spending summers in Silicon Valley working on self-driving cars.
Alisha is currently working as a software engineer at Microsoft (Seattle) after pursuing a dual degree – B.S. in Computer Science (from NYU Courant) and B.S. in Management Science with a concentration in Data Science (from NYU Stern School of Business). She has received the Dean’s Honour Roll for securing a Grade Point Average in the top 10% of the class. Outside the classroom, she has dabbled in multiple projects including building her own robo news-reader, and experimenting with developing a secure cloud sharing service.“The Academy helped me become comfortable with making mistakes and encouraged me to focus on identifying solutions instead,” explains Alisha. “That, and my gap year experiences ignited in me a passion for tech and an entrepreneurial spirit, and ever since, I have been excited about building products to push the frontiers of technology forward.”
Alisha’s internships at university have provided her with unparalleled opportunities to deepen her technical knowledge. In 2017, she did an internship at IBM, where she worked with machine learning algorithms to develop a predictive model that would help IBM use unstructured data to forecast revenues for subsequent quarters. And then last summer, she engaged with cutting-edge technologies as a software engineer on General Motors and Honda’s joint autonomous car venture, Cruise Automation. “It was an exciting time to be in in the Mecca of tech,” she reminisces. “I led the development of a large-scale mapping service to deliver real-time, preemptive updates to the vehicle, allowing them to make more efficient routing decisions and enhanced ride safety. As one of the early engineers in the self-driving car space, it was amazing to have the opportunity to contribute towards the future of tech.” Alisha’s technological accomplishments of the past and plans for the future are marked by a social dimension. Her work with Agastya International Foundation, the world’s largest hands-on science program, took her to a small, rural village in Southern India, and involved designing a programme based on Google Bus and Raspberry Pi devices. The programme encouraged 900 students to combine scientific concepts with technology to find a solution to a local issue, such as soil contamination or crop infestation. “The girls’ newfound confidence became my motivation as I travelled across India and to Tajikistan conducting sessions for women on STEM opportunities,” shares Alisha. She was also one of 25 female engineers globally who was awarded the Goldman Sachs Grace Hopper Conference Scholarship to attend the Grace Hopper Conference, the largest conference for woman in tech.
In 2013, while still at AKA Hyderabad, Alisha travelled across four remote villages of Gujarat to document the livelihood and survival strategies of a lost community, the Devipujaks. Her interviews and field research was compiled into one of the only ethnographic studies done on this marginalized group of people, and she presented her findings at the National Conference on Human Rights organised by the Central University of Gujarat and the Government of India.
“I do see myself returning to India at some point,” Alisha states. “I see a lot of potential for innovation in bringing the next billion users online, and I want to be a part of this tech revolution. With a growing population, the lack of an educated workforce could create the biggest hindrance to economic prosperity and therefore it is essential to focus resources on education. Once the workforce is educated, it will be important to open up avenues of employment. Though we have seen smart phones and access to cheap internet become commonplace in India, there are still large pockets of the country that can benefit from access to better technology infrastructure. This would allow more home-grown startups to flourish, and enhance the ease of doing business in India for foreign companies for whom the 1.3 billion consumer base is extremely attractive." In the meantime, Alisha is joining Microsoft as a software engineer on their AI & Mixed Reality team. Alisha credits AKA Hyderabad with helping refine her value system. “The Academy gave me the space to develop my moral compass by taking on leadership opportunities and experiencing ethical dilemmas first-hand. Being faced with these ethical decisions on a small scale helped me develop a moral compass that guides me through major decisions even today. Moreover, living in a shared space taught me to adapt to different situations, lifestyles and people, which made my transition to NYU, a new city and a different culture seamless.”Written by Kamini Menon
Joseph Munyambanza: The story of a conqueror
As we sat for our lesson on a sweltering Tuesday afternoon, there was anticipation for the upcoming week-long break, obstructed only by the last lesson of the day. We sat for a while in a lazy stupor before our speaker arrived humbly apologising for his delay. Joseph Munyambaza was calm and composed as he began his initial talk on disparities of living. Despite appearing to be an average man who started by talking of ordinary sundries, he informed us that he was raised as a refugee and that it was education that propelled him to the position he is in today.
He began by narrating to us that life was free and full of enjoyment in the Congo. “There was plenty of food, I was always playing…” he recalls as he spoke of his six-year old self. Due to his age, he is now aware that he was shielded from most of the atrocities that must have taken place. His older siblings on the other hand, were not as fortunate. “My brother, who was a teenager at the time, was greatly disturbed by the events that took place…” Eventually, his older brother sought comfort in alcohol in an effort to forget what he had seen. Joseph’s family relocated to refugee camp in Western Uganda in a place called Hoima. Life was different and evidently, it was hard. The life of abundance and freedom was long gone and now the life of lack and want was all that there was. You can imagine the terrible living conditions in the refugee camp which was congested and dangerous. As he grew life seemed to eventually settle when tragedy struck. Joseph’s older sister passed away only a few days before exiting the refugee camp to attend university. What really moved me was the fact that she died under preventable circumstances. His sister died because his family did not have sufficient funds to pay for treatment.
This turning point propelled him to getting a placement in a high school outside the refugee camp where he was to begin to establish his academic prowess. He further explained that he knew how important his opportunity was so he would remain focused in his studies at all costs. Things were running smoothly throughout his years in high school with his school fees sorted out by the UNHCR. He was determined to also give opportunities to other refugee children who, just like him, were so full of potential. “When I was in my second year of secondary school, my friends and I wanted to enable other refugee children to access education. And so we started COBURWAS, a youth organization that represents Congo, Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda and Sudan. Refugees in the refugee camp we lived in came from these countries and we wanted to have a shared solution. All youth came together to think of solutions. Though we had many challenges we realised that lack of access to education was more dangerous. We started tutoring, which I did to enable children to get good grades and feel motivated to love school. We also worked for people to raise money to buy exercise books for the most vulnerable children in our midst. We were a club at first, but with time our programs expanded and we became a community-based organisation. The refugee community was of great help because they supported us with the little available and it meant so much in our small start.”
However, in his fourth and most senior year, his scholarship was withdrawn. “My education was initially supported by UNHCR in senior one but when I went to senior two they sent letters that UNHCR does not have more money to support education. Fortunately, a friend called Eric Glustrom who was starting an organisation helped me to complete senior four.” Even with a graduate certificate under his belt, he was unsure of what was to come next. Then, another whirlwind of events took place such that he was admitted to the ALA (African Leadership Academy) located in South Africa. This is an institution that is internationally recognised for producing innovators and entrepreneurs who are sure to make a positive impact within their home countries. Joseph says, “I had no dream of getting to a great school like ALA. I was already extremely grateful to be in my school that was the best in the district. And so even after being accepted to into ALA I still did not believe it until I landed in Johannesburg and was handed the key to my room. It was more than I could have ever dreamed of. And when I reached at ALA I wanted to be the best I could as a student, an ambassador to my fellow youth in the refugee camp and do well in class.”
All in all, his story was able to bring out the extent of the disparities of lives outside our own. The concept of war, forced migration and other forms of hardship is one that cannot be explained in a short period of time but were nevertheless highlighted in his talk. It is fascinating how a life can change simply as a result of joint efforts and self-motivation. By the end of his talk it was crystal clear that according to Joseph Munyambanza, education is a powerful tool.
By Bijou Mwaura, DP1
Joshua Ekirikubinza's Speech - AKA, Mombasa's Graduation, 2015
Teachers, I would like to begin with you. I am not going to thank you right now. However, I will start by saying sorry. For every time we ducked when we saw you coming down the hall, knowing we were not going to hand in that piece of homework. For every time we extended that deadline so far that it became inexistent. For every time we treated the piece of paper we are about to receive as your problem and not ours, and for every opportunity to thank you that we missed, thank you for being there from the beginning and here with us at the very end.
Parents, thank you. Those two words come nowhere near expressing the gratitude I know that every single student seated in front of you feels. Thank you for the support, whether financial or emotional. Do not worry; the product of your labor is awe-inspiring. In front of you sit the pioneers of the next generation, the heroes who will shape the world and leave a resplendent legacy for decades to come. DP2s, I just made a lot of promises to your parents, your job is to turn those incredibly romantic notions I sent flying their way into reality. And while it may seem like I just placed an immense task on your shoulders, I only ask of you what you are more than capable of.
In two years you have overcome every single obstacle that the IBO managed to throw at you, even though I know you imagined they sat in a boardroom discussing how to make your lives as difficult as possible. Now you are at your graduation and I know a lot of you are probably wondering what it was all for. I sincerely hope you do not expect me to give you that answer. In fact I hope you realize that no one in this room or outside it can give you that answer. As cliché as it is to say, the only person who can answer that question is you. Why did you decide to do a program renowned for its rigor? I hope it is because somewhere inside yourself you believed that you do have the ability to do anything you set your mind to; which would make everything I promised earlier a piece of cake.
So if I have not made myself clear yet, the world is yours. It is yours to shape and mould, yours to save and re-vitalize or yours to ignore and let crumble. If there is one thing you should know going forward it is that you no longer have the luxury to sit back and watch. You had about eighteen years of your life to do just that and I hope you enjoyed it. Soon the decisions about the world we live in will be left up to you. Make sure that when you are attending the next generation’s graduation the legacy you hand over is one that you are proud of.
The way to such a legacy is of course no walk in the park. There will be challenges, but the greatest one, I believe, is the day you question how special you really are. The day you stop believing you can impact the world around you is the day that ability is eternally lost you. Do not let the world tell you what you can and cannot do. Do not subscribe to the bigotry and intolerance that runs rampant throughout the world, you are far too intelligent for that. Do not gauge your abilities by comparing yourself to someone else. If you look to your left or right you will find a classmate and a team mate, not your competition. You do not benefit from being better than the person sitting next to you. I do not often quote people because I am ambitious in that I hope to create a few of my own one day, but Ernest Hemingway once said “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility lies in being superior to your former self.” Thus the key to your success does not lie in being better than everyone but, and the administration in no way coerced me to say this, in having a growth mindset. Please do not be that dentist who argues you are more important than the engineer.
Be accepting of the people around you. You cannot hope to change the world if you cannot even begin to accept the people within it. We are different. That is a reality you will have to accept. Also, please remember when you re-shape the world you affect everyone. Every culture, every race, every ethnicity and every religion. It is a complex puzzle, remember that. You can only solve it if you understand it.
Do not your let your education amount to just a piece of paper. As the incredible sagacious Albert Einstein said, “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.” When you read that over 8,000 people died in an earthquake in Nepal earlier this month, do you simply let that statistic ring through one ear and out the other? Or do you let such facts inform your decisions about what you want to do to change the world? Do not think accumulating wealth is the way you change the world either. If you think I am being dishonest then how about you consider that there are over 5 million millionaires in the US alone. There is a treat in it if you can name more than 100 of them. I believe you know less than 100 names because they have not done enough to change the world. Martin Luther King Junior died without any financial assets at all or a will, almost 50 years later we still revere him. In the end you deserve to have your name written down in the annals of history, not a checkbook.
Finally remember as wonderful as you are, there is only one of you. You are one piece in a seven billion piece puzzle. Try and fit as snuggly as possible, keep your elbows, knees and feet in a position that does not bother anyone else.
So as I conclude this intentionally overly verbose speech, I leave you with a simple fact. Those are crazy enough to believe they can change the world, are often the ones who do. So here’s to the crazy ones - we can disagree with them, hate them, love them, quote them glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you cannot do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward. I hope that you are all crazy enough to do it.