Kabete Vet Lab Primary School pupils pose for a photo with a dummy cheque during the launch of Blueband Good Breakfast and Social Mission Campaign/ Courtesy
NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 11 – Several dietary guidelines in the world define a good breakfast as one that provides 15-25% of daily requirements on energy and micro-nutrients.
According to UNICEF, vitamin and mineral deficiencies have been estimated to cost Sub-Saharan countries more than $2.3 billion every year in lost productivity.
Blue Band manufacturer, Upfield says this year’s edition the Good Breakfast Campaign continues to drive its commitment to tackle the serious issue of poor nutrition by educating school going children around the importance of a good breakfast.
A white paper written by experts in 2016 highlighted the link between a nutritious breakfast and better long-term school performance in children.
“The Good Breakfast Campaign” seeks to drive behavior change by creating awareness on the importance of a nutritious breakfast. Blue Band will run the Good Breakfast Campaign through a schools’ program across several schools, reaching 2 million school children directly.
With the multiplier effect using an average of 3 children per home, Blue Band is expected to reach a minimum of 6 million children both directly and indirectly.
A research study done by TNS revealed the important role of breakfast in ensuring adequate nutrient intake in children and a daily nutritious breakfast may contribute to longer term healthy growth and development of children.
Speaking during the campaign kickoff, Head of Regulatory Affairs & Nutrition at Upfield, Phyllis Obote said, “Our social mission is to make a nutritious breakfast an everyday reality for half a billion school children in Africa for healthier lives and better school performance by making a nutritious breakfast at home available, affordable and desirable”.
Obote further urged Kenyan consumers to join in the campaign by buying the special 500gm pack which would see Blue Band donate a good breakfast to a needy child for every pack bought.
As part of the campaign, Blue Band will also be engaging with moms in order to empower them with creative ideas and exciting recipes for making a good breakfast at home with simple ingredients that are easily available.
