"Kellogg" defines its purpose as ‘Nourishing India’s Potential’ and has promised to provide a ‘Bright Start’ to 100,000 children from the underprivileged section of society by 2022. ‘Bright Start’ food is rich in protein, calcium and iron. It is enriched with key Vitamin B Group, Vitamin C and zinc.
Mohit Anand, MD, Kellogg India Private Limited said, “We believe no child should face the day on an empty stomach, as morning hunger is the enemy of learning. A child’s future starts with a nutritious breakfast. It’s not just the most important meal of the day. It’s the most important meal in their life. Bright Start is a spot of sunshine to the 5,764 children at this stage and we hope to provide them with an equal opportunity at learning and meeting their aspirations and together nourish their potential. Nutrition is at the core of Kellogg’s legacy since 100+ years and our work around the world has shown the difference that sustained nutrition can make to children.”
In an attempt to address this issue of nutrition among children in India that occurs partly due to morning hunger and unhealthy eating habits Kellogg has collaborated with "The Breakfast Revolution (TBR)" and "Sesame Workshop India (SWI)" to mobilize and engage communities and impact children positively. ‘The Breakfast Revolution’ is the on-ground implementation partner for Bright Start. They identify schools, locations and centres which can join the Bright Start programme as beneficiaries. Dr. Pankaj Jethwani, co-founder of TBR said “Kellogg and TBR have come together to form a unique partnership – ‘Bright Start’.
Dr. Pankaj Jethwani, Co-Founder, The Breakfast Revolution said “India is in the midst of a malnutrition epidemic. ~80% of Indian children do not eat breakfast and the mid-day meal at school is their first meal of the day. 80% of our children suffer from ‘hidden hunger’ (micronutrient deficiency). More than a third of our children are underweight. This leads to reduced learning (by 20%) and lifelong productivity (by 10%). Bright Start is helping unlock the true potential of India’s future, our children”.
Sonali Khan, Managing Director, Sesame Workshop India, speaks of the importance of the program in catalyzing change. “Eating habits established early, in the years when brain growth is most rapid, have consequences through life. Our research in Dharavi shows that caregivers know that children need to eat well to be healthy but few are aware that skipping or skimping breakfast can actually affect a child’s ability to learn at school. They were pleasantly surprised to learn that it is quite easy to increase the nutritional value of the morning meal with resources they have at hand. These small changes can make an incremental difference to a child’s well-being and abilities over time.”
The partners see this as the beginning of a movement and hope to reach many more children over time. With their resolve to feed nutritious breakfast to children, train families to harness and hold on to the benefits of nutrition through simple habits like hand-washing, and monitor the changes the programme brings, they intend to empower communities to break an intergenerational cycle of malnutrition. Wouldn’t you call that a Bright Start?
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