Helen Keller International (HKL) in partnership with the Lagos State Government and funding from Mondelez international Foundation, has launched a multi-year $50millon commitment toward the promotion of healthy lifestyle and fight obesity among school children and their families in Lagos State.
Country Director, Helen Keller International, Philomena Orji, announced the pledge at The Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyle Project inception meeting in Lagos. The meeting brought together major stakeholders from Ministry of Education, Sport Commission, Ministry of Health, Lagos State Nutrition Officials, School teachers and managers, Parents Forums and Community Development Associations in Ikeja.
According to Orji, the project is aimed at bringing nutrition education, active play and fresh foods to children and their families in Ikeja, Lagos.
She noted that HKL ‘s work in nutrition focuses on promoting innovative and integrated solutions that have been proven to reduce malnutrition among women and children. One of such integrated solutions is the nutrition and healthy lifestyle project funded by Mondelez International Foundation for government primary schools and communities in Ikeja for a period of three years from last January to December 2020.
She said: “HKL will teach over 6000 children the importance of proper nutrition, physical activity and gardening through in-school and after school activities and an estimate indirect reach of 48, 000 children and their families over the next three years across the community development Areas.
“The project will focus on six to 12-year-olds, attending nine primary schools in Agidngbi, Estate, St Peters, Oke-Ira, Ogba, Tokunbo Alli, Ojodu, 1, 2, 3 and will involve a multi-pronged approach of nutrition education, gardening based production of nutrient rich crops and active plays,” she said.
Orji lamented that Nigerians suffer from high levels of food insecurity and malnutrition, including malnutrient deficiency and poor child growth.
Orji said: “The rate of stunting or chronic malnutrition is 37 per cent, resulting in lifelong cognitive and physical defects. Under nutrition remains a major health problem among Nigerians school children while overweight and obesity are emerging problems in urban areas.”
She said a study showed prevalence rates of stunting and wasting of 17 and 14 per cent, among primary school pupils in Ikeja, as well as 15 and 13 per cent overweight and obese. A study of 200 primary school children in Lagos revealed 38 per cent were suffering from anemia.
She added that while physical education is a subject taught in primary school, there has been a systematic decline in its implementation over the past decades. Also physical education and sport facilities and equipment are inadequate in most schools.
Mondelez International Foundation President, Sarah Delea, said making a positive impact on the people and the planet is at the core of who we are. “Since 2012, our partners and their programmes have been transforming the lives of more than a million children around the globe by increasing their nutrition knowledge, physical activity and access to fresh fruits and vegetables,”she said.