Unilever partners with schools to improve the health of learners

This resource guide, which forms part of Unilever’s School that Shine Programme, is in line with the company’s commitment to improving people’s health and well being as reflected in the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan. The resource guide is designed, with inputs from teachers, to enable them to provide relevant, accurate information on health, hygiene and nutrition to students.The material, which covers health, nutrition & food and hygiene, is targeted at different school grades, based on learning ability and curriculum requirements.

According to Nazeeia Sayed, Nutrition & Health Manager, Unilever, “health and nutrition education for children is important if we want to build a healthier and productive nation. We are really excited and proud to be part of this initiative at schools and help teachers bring health education into the classroom. We believe that this investment will have many returns as children can act as change agents in their families and communities.”

 “What makes this initiative great is that it is related to the curriculum and the teachers were consulted before the material was developed” said Mr. P Gounden, Principal of Deccan Road Primary School, one of the schools that gave their input into the developing of the material. “This will help us create an awareness around a healthy lifestyle in larger the community, because children educate the parents” he added. 

According to Carol Browne, Unilever’s partner in developing the Schools that Shine Programme, “The essence is that nutrition education is about more than knowledge transfer. Children should develop an awareness of how they can implement messages in their lives, and also develop confidence in their ability to do so. Activities in the programme are designed to help teachers to facilitate the development of this awareness and confidence. Nutrition and hygiene are very practical subjects so this can be done using examples from learners’ lives and environment.”