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Mondelēz International Foundation launches healthy lifestyle programs

2 Apr 2018

The Mondelēz International Foundation has announced the launch of healthy lifestyle programs aimed at bringing nutrition education, active play and fresh foods to at-risk children and their families across 10 countries.

The Mondelēz International Foundation has announced the launch of healthy lifestyle programs aimed at bringing nutrition education, active play and fresh foods to at-risk children and their families across 10 countries. This, it says, is part of the Foundation’s multi-year $50 million commitment to promote healthy lifestyles and address obesity.

New programs in Argentina, Australia, Egypt, France, Nigeria, Russia, and Ukraine, along with renewed programs in the United States, China and India, will reach an estimated 365,000 children and their families over the next three years. These programs join partnerships currently running in Brazil, Germany, Mexico and South Africa, all geared to creating school and community environments that encourage children and families to adopt lifelong healthy habits.

“Making a positive impact on the people and the planet is at the core of who we are. Since 2012, our partners and their programs have been transforming the lives of more than a million children around the globe by increasing their nutrition knowledge, physical activity and access to fresh fruits and vegetables,” said Sarah Delea, President of the Mondelēz International Foundation. “The addition of seven new programs further builds on our commitment to help communities thrive and improve the well-being of school-age children and their families.”

Over the next three years, the Foundation and its partners will inspire schools and communities to reach under-served children and get involved in innovative ways in the following countries:

Argentina: Fundación Huerta Niño will reach 10,000 students in 120 schools by building organic school gardens to teach kids about proper nutrition, get them active and increase their consumption of fresh produce.

Australia: Save the Children will focus on nutrition education, growing healthy foods and improving physical activity to over 11,000 children and families.

China: China Youth Development Foundation will spread the benefits of nutrition and access to fresh foods through Hope Kitchens’ delicious veggie gardens and enhanced school canteens, reaching 150,000 students in 300 schools.

Egypt: CARE will promote healthy lifestyles for children by training educators to deliver a nutrition program, renovating kitchens to teach parents how to make healthy meals and snacks. The program will also aim at designing and implementing active play curriculum that tackles cultural barriers for girls and establishing school gardens.

France: Sport dans la Ville will expand their healthy lifestyle community partnership program to offer nutrition education, sports programs, urban gardens and cooking workshops to 5,000 children and families.

India: Save the Children and Magic Bus are teaming up to promote nutrition education, active play, including sports development, and growing fresh foods to around 50,000 children and families across India.

Nigeria: Helen Keller International will teach 6,000 children the importance of proper nutrition, physical activity and gardening through in-school and after-school activities.

Russia: Doverie NGO will train 100,000 students in 230 schools on how to grow and cook healthy foods and stay active through sports and other physical activities.

Ukraine: CSR Ukraine will train teachers to incorporate nutrition education, physical activity and gardening with more than 500 schools and 17,500 children.

United States: After-School All-Stars will expand its middle school program to offer nutrition education, cooking classes and urban vegetable gardens to reach children and families in 170 schools in 12 U.S. locations.

Each community partnership will also track progress against a universal set of metrics that the Foundation developed in collaboration with its community partners and a public health expert from Yale School of Public Health. Metrics measure improvements in nutrition education, physical activity and access to nutritious foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables.

“We’re proud to partner again with the Mondelēz International Foundation to implement nutrition education and healthy lifestyle projects,” said Kathy Spahn, President and CEO of Helen Keller International. “We came together in Indonesia to improve the well-being of children and their families. We’re excited to now bring our combined expertise to Nigeria to encourage and instill healthy habits in children from an early age.”

The Foundation and its community programs support Mondelēz International’s Impact For Growth commitment, which is focused on four key areas where the company can make the greatest impact on people and planet: community, sustainability, well-being snacks and safety.