The COVID Pandemic has changed so much around us and has brought the world to its knees.  Despite that, it is wonderful to witness the world’s resolve and ability to do good, to the people in need. Today, I’d like to share details on the Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme, an initiative taken by Nestlé towards making this world a better place.

Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme

The Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme was launched in 2010, with a focus to create nutrition awareness among adolescents while also educating them about waste management and the importance of having a physically active lifestyle. The initiative focuses on:

• Nutrition Awareness
• Physically Active Lifestyle
• Waste Management
• Sports for Development (S4D) – S4D is the intentional use of sports as a metaphor to derive developmental outcomes.

This programme focuses specifically on adolescents within the age group 10 to 17, along with educating their families about the importance of having nutritious food and leading a healthy lifestyle. Nestlé’s initiative works towards preparing these minors to lead a responsible and healthy life as adults.

Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme – Adapting to the COVID reality and serving the communities

In 2014, Nestle partnered with Magic Bus India Foundation to augment the initiative by using Sports for Development approach, that uses sports to derive developmental outcomes.

This year, with the ongoing COVID crisis, the teams had to find new ways to reach out to the communities. Nestlé’s Healthy Kids Programme focused on creating a deliverable that can be employed even with the ongoing pandemic. Here’s what they did.

Virtual Training on Magic Bus COVID-19 Response

Magic bus used their learning management system, Magic Bus Academy a mobile application, to upload healthy kids modules in addition to the awareness on prevention of COVID-19 and educated their volunteers using virtual training methods.

The modules designed by Nestle, that focused on nutrition, health and hygiene were made accessible using digital media, in containment zones and face-to-face sessions were carried on in green zones. Apart from this, virtual sessions were also conducted and messages were spread through WhatsApp and tele calling in all red zones.

The staff also underwent the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan training on prevention of Corona.

Posters, comic books and videos focusing on COVID were also uploaded on the mobile app for Nestlé Healthy Kids programme. The volunteers encouraged the children to stay at home and continue their learning activities by giving engaging and interesting assignments on health, nutrition and waste management. In times like this, encouragement and motivation are often what’s needed the most, and the teams offered these children just that!

Awareness Generation for Prevention of Community Outbreak

Most of the families that the teams work with are underprivileged, who do not have access to water in their households, forcing them to travel to the community pumps. In the wake of a crisis, creating awareness on social distancing was necessary and the teams worked extensively by making markings in the communities. They created and circulated posters, social media messages, reminders, video calls, organised pledge campaigns and also made phone calls to ensure this practice was followed.

They started the Each 1, Teach 10 Campaign where one person recorded a video of proper handwashing technique and forwarded it to 10, thereby encouraging the chain of information.

Providing Government and Community Support

Volunteers have also worked with Government organisations who support the same cause. From making masks to enabling online applications of ration cards and creating awareness on the use of the Arogya Setu app, the teams did it all!

The delegates also followed community mapping and made sure no homes were left out from the door to door hand washing and sanitisation campaign. Information on immunity-boosting foods was spread through calls and WhatsApp messages. Hallmark days were celebrated virtually.

Staying locked up at home for many days can mentally take a toll on all of us. To keep these situations at bay, the adolescents in these communities were reminded that they had the support of the Nestle volunteers whom they could talk to when they felt lonely and distressed. 

As long as we have the zeal to help, nothing can stop us and that’s exactly what the Nestlé and Magic Bus staff have demonstrated this year. Despite the pandemic, they managed to reach as many as 80,000 beneficiaries during the lockdown period through the Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme. It is wonderful hearing about initiatives such as this. It makes you want to do your bit too, doesn’t it?