Blue Band Restates Commitment to Healthy Living … as curtain draws on national growth challenge

The curtain was drawn on the Blue Band National Growth Challenge amidst excitement which took place recently at Sheba Hall, Ikeja, Lagos. To add to the excitement, parents and guests voted to elect the winner of an art competition, which the brand ran as part of activities for the growth challenge.

At the ceremony, Tea and Spreads Category Manager at Unilever Nigeria, Ms. Vivian Ihaza said “We are so delighted at the success of this campaign, particularly with the fact that Blue Band has touched the lives of people through improved access to nutritional knowledge. The challenge was a learning and exciting platform for parents and children, who learnt about proper nutrition and its implication to their overall health. Unilever remains totally committed to healthy living.”

According to Ihaza “Experts agree that for children spreading margarine on bread provides essential vitamins needed for growth and proper development. Blue Band is nutritious with main meals as well as with snacks to enliven children’s lunch boxes.”

Similarly, the Enugu State Nutrition Officer, Mrs. Henrietta Ugwu passionately called on Nigerians to embrace healthy living right from childhood as it will form part of habits that will be passed on from one generation to another. “I encourage mothers on the significance of providing the right nutrition – healthy, varied and adequate diet – for their children and wards in order to help them grow optimally, and demonstrate that right nutrition promotes growth in children.”

The art competition produced 15 national finalists, whose paintings were displayed at the closing ceremony for voting. David Imafidon of Fred Williams Nursery and Primary School, Iju, Lagos was voted the best with 31 votes, while Adegbite Adejire of New Gate Primary School, Ikorodu and Oyinkansola Bada of Lyncrest Primary School, Ikorodu tied up as runners up with 17 votes each. The winners smiled home with Bicycles and Stationery, while their schools were presented with Laptops, Printers, Stationery and Blue Band margarine.

The Blue Band Sponsored National Growth Challenge was launched in October 2013 with the objective of helping over 100,000 pupils between ages 6 – 12 across 400 primary schools (both public and private) in Lagos and Enugu states imbibe good feeding habits.