The Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager of Nestlé Nigeria, Mrs. Victoria Uwadoka, stated this in Abuja, during the Nutrition Quiz competition, organised by Nestlé Nigeria PLC.
She said that the Nutrition Quiz competition, which is aimed at testing children’s knowledge and practice of healthy nutrition, is an initiative of the company to help 50 million children globally, lead healthier lives by 2030.
It would be recalled that Gadosnasko Science Primary School, Gwagwalada in Abuja and St Paul’s Primary School, Orile Imo, Ogun State, emerged winners of the nutrition quiz competition.
Uwadoka noted that 20 schools from the three senatorial districts of Ogun State and 10 schools from the six area councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja participated in the competition, which was held simultaneously in Ogun State and the FCT for seven days.
She said: “Nestlé for Healthier Kids is aligned with our goal of helping children live healthier lives by raising awareness of the benefits of healthy nutrition and an active lifestyle. The Nutrition Quiz competition drives home these lessons to boost recall and practice.
“We are delighted with the performance of all the participating schools this year. The learners proved without a doubt that they had indeed understood the various topics. The competition was intense, so the winners do deserve the acclaim.
“I commend partners, the Nutrition Society of Nigeria who anchored the quiz, I celebrate the teachers who prepared the children so well, and of course FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) and Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for their continued commitment to raising a healthier generation.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Ogun state chapter of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), Prof. Oluseye Onabanjo, said: “Malnutrition among school-age children is a major public health concern. Improving the quality of children’s foods and continuous education on feeding practices in the early years of life are cornerstones.”
On his part, the Deputy Director of School Health, FCT UBEB, Alhaji Aboki Danladi, commended the performance of the children in the competition, adding “the Board appreciates Nestlé for the consistent investment in the education and welfare of children over the years. The Nestlé for Healthier Kids Programme is a laudable project, positively impacting on our children.”
Miss Felicia Abraham, a Primary 5 student of Gadonasko Science Primary School Gwagwalada, speaking on behalf of her teammate and her school, said: “I really enjoyed the Nestlé for Healthier Kids programme as it taught me useful lessons for maintaining good health. The other schools did so well that we were a bit worried. We are very happy and proud of ourselves for winning this competition on behalf of our school.”
Mrs. Abimbola Olatunji, a Primary 5 teacher from St Paul’s Primary School, Orile Imo, Ogun State, expressed her delight with the performance of her students given the hard work they put into preparations for the competition. She appreciated Nestlé’s commitment to the welfare of children in Ogun state.
Other winners of the competition are Salvation Army Primary School, Edu Agbara, Ogun State and Model Primary School, Bwari, Abuja in second place and Methodist Primary School Abeokuta and LEA Primary School, Jiwa, Abuja in the third position.
All the winners took home exciting prizes from the organizers including sports gear for the teams and sporting equipment for their schools. Through the Nestlé for Healthier Kids program, the company continues to make progress on its commitment to unlocking the power of food to enhance the quality of life for everyone today and for future generations.
Launched in Nigeria in 2018, Nestlé for Healthier Kids is supported by the Ogun State UBEB, FCT Universal Basic Education Board, NSN, the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Health.
