Nestlé organises quiz competition in Ogun, FCT to promote nutrition

Nestlé Nigeria PLC has organised quiz competitions for Primary school pupils in Ogun State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to promote nutrition education for kids in Nigeria.

The Nutrition Quiz competition which aims to test the children’s knowledge and practice of healthy nutrition is designed to enhance recall and retention of in-class lessons.

It is part of Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK), a flagship initiative of the company which aims to help 50 million children globally, lead healthier lives by 2030.

In Nigeria, N4HK is a school-based nutrition education program that equips children with the knowledge to make better nutrition choices from an early age for a healthier future.

Twenty schools from the three senatorial districts of Ogun State and ten schools from the six area councils in the FCT participated in the Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK) Nutrition Quiz Competition which was held simultaneously in Ogun State and the FCT for seven days.

The participating schools were quizzed on topics curated from the N4HK students’ manual covering nutrition, healthy hydration, hygiene and physical activities. This process was led

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by the Nutrition Society of Nigeria who also executed the competition from the school stage to the finals.

According to UNICEF, Nigeria has the second-highest burden of stunted children in the world, with a national prevalence rate of 32 per cent of children under five.

An estimated 2 million children in Nigeria suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), but only two out of every 10 children affected are currently reached with treatment. Seven per cent of women of childbearing age also suffer from acute malnutrition.

Speaking on the objectives of the competition, the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Nestlé Nigeria, Mrs Victoria Uwadoka 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 our 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 comments, the Chairman of the Ogun State chapter of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, 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 in addressing the challenge of malnutrition.

The partnership between Nestlé Nigeria and the Ogun State Chapter of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria promoting healthy eating and lifestyle habits through the school-based nutrition education program is highly commendable and value-adding for children in the state”.

On his part, the Deputy Director, School Health, FCT UBEB, Alhaji Aboki Danladi said, “We are proud of the outstanding performance of the children in the competition. The Board appreciates Nestlé for its consistent investment in the education and welfare of children over the years. The Nestlé for Healthier Kids Program is a laudable project, positively impacting our children”.

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 program 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 programme, 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.

Gadosnasko Science Primary School, Gwagwalada, Abuja and St Paul’s Primary School, Orile Imo, in Ogun State emerged winners of the nutrition quiz competition.

Relaunched in Nigeria in 2018, Nestlé for Healthier Kids is supported by the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Health.

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