Nestlé Promotes Healthy Diets And Lifestyles Through Community Engagement

Nestlé Ghana encourages parents and caregivers to commit to the healthy nutrition and diets of their children. The company organised a Community Engagement Durbar in the Donkokrom community in the Afram Plains in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

As a Nutrition, Health and Wellness Company, Nestlé commits to improving healthy diets and lifestyles and to promoting physical activity. The Nestlé Healthy Kids Global Programme was introduced to focus on nutrition education, physical activity and hygiene, providing information on balanced diets, positive approaches to food and practical advice on improving eating habits of children.

The community engagement outreach component was introduced to reinforce the nutrition education that children are already receiving. Parents are the primary caregivers who actually determine the choice of meals and diets of children at home. The programme is therefore aimed at providing them with the right information about the need for good nutrition for the proper growth of their children.

In Ghana, the Nestlé Healthy Kids programme is implemented in partnership with the Ghana Education Service and the University of Ghana Nutrition and Food Science Department.

Prior to the community engagement, a teacher refresher training programme facilitated by Nutritionists from the University of Ghana Nutrition and Food Science Department was organised.

Speaking at the event, representative of the Director –General of Education on the Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme, Ms. Helena Mends- Kittoe admonished parents to ensure that their children eat healthy breakfast for their optimal growth and wellbeing. They also emphasized on the need to make use of the available local foods rich in nutrients and other micronutrients.

The event was attended by the Chiefs of the area, community opinion leaders, women groups and associations and parents from, Donkokrom, Ekye Amanfrom, Ntonaboma, Samanhyia and Bruben. The parents dramatized the importance of healthy living and good sanitation practices.

Speaking at the event the District Director of Education for Kwahu North, Ms. Irene Ayenor, commended Nestlé for its contribution to promoting public education on nutrition, and for reaching out to parents to promote good nutrition.

A team of Teachers and Parents at Donkokrom in a drama, depicting the appropriate way to wash hands.

The community engagement component was a recommendation from the last monitoring and evaluation conducted by Dr. Gloria Otoo from University of Ghana, Nutrition and Food Science Department.

The engagement has so far reached over 1500 parents and community elders in the Savelugu Nanton, Agona East, Adansi North and South Districts.