GILGIT: Government of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Nestlé Pakistan inaugurated the Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK) room in at KG Model School for Girls in Skardu and conducted trainings for 250 teachers on nutritional awareness and sustainability education with an aim to reach out to more than 15000 children under its flagship N4HK program in Gilgit, Skardu, Shigar and Kharmang.
N4HK is Nestlé’s global nutritional awareness initiative which supports, teachers and caregivers on their journey to raise healthier kids through a curriculum-based education program promoting healthy nutrition, hydration, hygiene and active lifestyles. The N4HK rooms in partner schools provide a way for teachers and educators to reinforce importance of good nutrition concept for children.
Speaking about the partnership, Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan said, “This partnership is a way for teachers and educators to reinforce importance of good nutrition for children in classroom through fun and engaging activities. Kids are the future of Pakistan and it is important that we encourage them to get involved in activities that inform them about sustainability and conservation practices,” he said while also recognizing Nestlé’s other recycling initiatives in the region.
Commissioner Baltistan, Shuja Alam lauded Nestlé’s efforts, “Such activities will foster values, habits and mindsets that will eventually make an impact and reduce our footprint on the planet,” he said while inaugurating the N4HK room.
Highlighting the importance of this partnership, Sheikh Waqar Ahmad, Head of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability, Nestlé Pakistan, “We are excited to collaborate with the GB government that it is facilitating in extending the reach of our N4HK initiative to teachers, caregivers and students in districts of Gilgit, Skardu, Shigar and Kharmang. We are confident that the awareness imparted on nutrition and this N4HK room in Skardu will play a very important role in promoting healthy habits and a better nourished future generation.”
The N4HK program is part of our commitment to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 of Good Health and Well-Being, to ensure that children understand the value of nutrition as they grow older. So far, the program has reached about 320,000 children and 1750 teachers, in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Nestlé Pakistan, in line with its vision for a waste-free future also partnered with Gilgit Baltistan government on the Clean Gilgit-Baltistan project. Under this project Nestlé is recycling up to 1000 tons of plastic and packaging waste by the end of 2023 and installing three baling and compressing machines at the dumping sites of Gilgit Baltistan Waste Management Company in Hunza, Gilgit and Skardu, apart from donating reusable bags, installing benches and bins made of recycled plastic at tourist hotspots. The company also arranged awareness sessions with students to help teach the younger generation a more sustainable approach to packaging by managing waste.