By Ovat Abeng
Wife of the Anambra State Governor, Mrs Nonye Soludo, has given early exposure of school children, teenagers and youths to the basics of healthy living and how to incorporate them in their daily lives, as major reasons for extending her Healthy Living Initiative Programme to Primary and Secondary Schools in the state.
Mrs Soludo disclosed this while inaugurating her Healthy Living clubs in over 325 primary schools across the 21 local government area of the State.
The governor’s wife also inaugurated head teachers as Healthy Living Champions, while teachers who majored in Physical Health Education or related courses, who will lead the Healthy living clubs in the schools across the state, were inaugurated as ambassadors.
Inaugurating the school clubs at the headquarters of Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) in Awka, on Friday, Mrs Soludo said the day was very significant as it marked the beginning of a renewed dream driven by immense passion, saying the volunteers were taking up the responsibility to serve humanity.
Read Also: Truck Driver, Conductor Dies In Anambra Accident
She explained that the teachers have been selected because they bear a mark of hard work and dedication, noting that Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo is a product of deep passion, aimed at achieving a culture of health consciousness and a mindset of change.
She reminded the teachers that a lot of faith and trust have been put in them, encouraging them to take up the duty with great commitment, to groom the children in line with the standards of the movement.
The governor’s wife also announced the launch of the Healthy Living Garden Competition, a termly challenge across all schools where the Healthy Living cluster is domiciled.
She explained that the competition originated from the goal to give both primary school pupils and secondary school students who are members of the school clubs an avenue to appreciate agriculture, self-sufficiency, and hard work.
Earlier in his remarks, the Executive Chairman of ASUBEB, Dr Vera Nkiru Nwadinobi, reminded the teachers that being ambassadors requires leading inspiring and model lives for the younger people to emulate.
Dr. Nwadinobi commended the wife of the governor, Mrs Soludo for championing the initiative, saying that it is reflective of her genuine desire to start early to equip the children with life-long survival skills that will help them live healthy adult lives and contribute to the welfare and development of the society.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike said that through the Healthy Living initiative, the governor’s wife is grooming a generation of young people who are conscious of how they live their lives.
It was gathered that at the event, 330 fully-equipped first aid kits were distributed to the various schools whose teachers were selected as ambassadors.
The event also had the presence of the State Commissioner for Environment, Engineer Felix Odimegwu, that of Industry, Mr Christian Udechuwku, among others.