Effaa's Nutritious Health Food for Children

As the world agrees the economic growth of a country largely depends on the literacy rate in the country. This in turn is guaranteed by making sure that children are healthy, mentally and physically during their growth years. So to say "HEALTHY CHILDREN ARE THE ASSET OF ANY NATION ".

A country's Children who are the future human resources will play a very vital role in nation's building. It is therefore, the first and foremost responsibility to bestow keen attention in bringing them up as good and healthy citizens. In order to develop the children into healthy, literate and creative human beings, the country's duty is to protect them from childhood hunger and attract them towards academics. Good nutrition in childhood lays the foundation for good health throughout the individual's life time. Nutritious food is needed to stimulate growth, regulate body functions, repair the tissues already formed and supply adequate energy for work. Children are the most vulnerable group that suffer from under nutrition, malnutrition and Nutritious deficiency. Under nutrition during any period of childhood, even for relatively short term episodes, can have negative effects on the cognitive development and thus lead to poor school performance among children.

We believe a welfare State has the responsibility of ensuring an atmosphere in which children can go with good health and good education. Only if children receive education they can become the valuable human resources of the nation tomorrow. Poverty and Hunger should not deprive a child from getting educated. "When children have to sit in a Classroom with an empty stomach they cannot focus on learning ". Worldwide studies reveal that there exist a positive relationship between Nutritious food program and enrolment of students in schools, attendance, academic performance and overall health of students. We have developed a world class Nutritious food mix for preprimary, primary & secondary school children.

Effaa's Nutritious Health Food Programme:

• Aims to motivate children from economically disadvantaged families to pursue education
  
• Act as a potent incentive for increasing enrolment, retention, reduce dropouts
  
• Thereby helps Government of Uganda to achieve higher literacy rate.
  

Education is thought to be central to economic development. It is viewed as a major contributor to human capital, leading to higher productivity and living standards. Primary education is thought to be associated with especially high returns.

Its importance is enshrined in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the United Nations, which call for universal primary education by 2015. In fact, primary education is far from universal and this MDG remains elusive. UNICEF the agency responsible for tracking progress on this MDG, estimates that the net primary school enrolment rate has to be increased a great deal in the Sub-Saharan Africa. In general, governments across the under developed and developing world have instituted a wide range of policies aimed at encouraging school enrollment. Nutritious Health Food Programme is one of the primal driving force. They are thought to increase enrollment through two main channels. First, they lower the cost of schooling, thereby providing an implicit subsidy to parents. Second, by improving child nutrition school lunches are thought to foster learning, thereby increasing the returns to education. School feeding programs are popular in the developing world and beyond, not only because of their educational but also for their Nutritious benefits.

AGE GROUP:

Our product can be introduced in all Government Schools in the under developed and developing world for Children in the age group of 3 to 6 years & 6 – 16 years.

Introduction :

This world class food contains the required protein, energy and essential vitamins & minerals for the child's growth. This product is made up of selective ingredients cooked by extrusion technique and blended with sugar. Essential vitamins & minerals are fortified so as to fulfill the Nutritious requirement of the necessary age group.

Ingredients :

Maize, Wheat, Soya bean or Bengal Gram, Sugar, Vitamins & Minerals premix.

Nutritional Information:

Protein-8.5-10%, Energy-380K.Cal, Calcium- 200mg, Iron-9mg, Vitamin A-200mcg, Vitamin B1-0.45mg, Vitamin B2- 0.5mg, Niacin-5.5mg, Vitamin B12-0.5mcg, Vitamin C-20mg, Folic acid- 20mcg.

Method of Preparation :

Take one part of the food in a clear bowl, add 3 parts of hot water to make a paste or porridge. Stir thoroughly without any lumps & serve.

IMPLEMENTATION OF EFFAA'S NUTRITIOUS HEALTH FOOD PRGRAMME WILL :

• Protect children from classroom hunger as many may come to class with an empty stomach or from faraway places and may soon feel hungry.
  
• Eradicate extensive poverty and hunger among children particularly economically disadvantaged so as to improve their Nutritious and health status.
  
• Reduce child mortality, morbidity and malnutrition.
  
• Achieve universal primary education, motivation for further education and to act as a potent incentive for increasing the enrolment, retention and lower school dropout percentage.
  
• Combat all diseases including those resulting due to deficiencies by increasing immunity with a nutritious diet and increase grasping power in children.
  
• Reduce the gender gap in education
  
• Enhance social values and foster equity, thus eroding religious prejudices and class inequality. This in turn will promote a healthy brotherhood among fellow nationals and develop a positive outlook towards life.
  
• Reduce child labour by motivating children to attend school regularly.
  
• Pave way for social empowerment through provision of employment for men and women.
  
• Provide a strong incentive for parents to send children to school as it would lower their overall household food expenditure.