CSR: PepsiCo Foundation in partnership with Smile Foundation, Inaugurated Model Anganwadi Centre

• Launched in 2019, the Nutrition Enhancement Programme aims to improve the nutritional status of pregnant and lactating women, and children in the age group 0-6 years across 13 villages in Bhawanigarh block of Sangrur District, Punjab.
• Mr. Jitendra Jorwal IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur inaugurated the Model Anganwadi Centre in Channo.

Punjab (India CSR): In line with Government of India’s National Nutrition Mission, PepsiCo Foundation in partnership with Smile Foundation and District Administration Sangrur inaugurated a Model Anganwadi centre in Channo in Sangrur, Punjab. The centre was inaugurated by Mr. Jitendra Jorwal IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur.

The physical infrastructure strengthening of anganwadi centres is part of PepsiCo Foundation’s on-going Nutrition Enhancement Programme in partnership with Smile Foundation. The programme aims at improving the nutritional status of pregnant & lactating women and children in the age group 0-6 years in Sangrur, Punjab.

Also present at the occasion were Mr. Gagandeep Singh District Program officer- Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Mr. Varjeet Walia, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur, Mr. Kareem Mohamed, Lead for MENA and South Asia, PepsiCo Foundation, Ms. Juhi Gupta, Sustainability Head, PepsiCo India, Mr. Yogesh Tyagi, Plant Head, Channo Foods Plant, PepsiCo India and Mr. Vikram Singh Verma, Executive Director, Smile Foundation.

Mr. Jitendra Jorwal, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur said, “Nutrition plays a critical role in growth and development of women and children. Maternal nutrition impacts woman’s health during pregnancy in turn influencing health of her new born. Studies have shown that the child’s health in their first 1,000 days of life is critical and as it influence the outcomes during childhood and later in adulthood. Hence, it becomes imperative to ensure healthy pregnancy and healthy women and children.

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Nutrition Enhancement Program, a collaborative initiative of Smile Foundation and PepsiCo foundation are intensively working to bring the change through sustainable efforts. I appreciate the way this program has collaborated and worked closely with the ICDS department, Sangrur and has strengthened the initiatives of the government.”

Mr. Vikram Singh Verma, Executive Director, Smile Foundation said, “We are honoured by the consistent support we have got from PepsiCo Foundation for the Nutrition Enhancement Program. The support and collaboration received from ICDS department and District administration for on ground activities has been commendable. Both PepsiCo foundation and District Administration supported us in ensuring optimum nutrition for people in the target group – pregnant and lactating women, and children, who have special nutritional needs. The model Anganwadis will further help in access to learning, creating awareness about nutrition and improving the dietary habits of vulnerable groups.”

Commenting at the side-lines of the launch event, Ms. Juhi Gupta, Head Sustainability, PepsiCo India said, “PepsiCo India recognizes the significance of promoting healthy, nutritious and safe food, and the need to support interventions to drive a larger impact for society. The Nutrition Enhancement Programme is playing a key role in improving the daily nutrition intake of pregnant women, mothers and children in Sangrur, Punjab. We would like to thank the District Administration of Sangrur in supporting this initiative and our NGO partner Smile Foundation for implementing numerous on-ground initiative leading to increase in awareness and change in dietary habits in the local communities.”

Nutrition Enhancement Program focuses to strengthen the physical infrastructure and initiatives of the government system, build in awareness and knowledge amongst the community. The program also involves engaging with direct beneficiaries & engage various stakeholders through capacity building of service users and service providers. Some of the key activities under the program include:

• Refurbishment of Anganwadi centres to make the Anganwadis accessible, informative, and attractive for children and mothers.
• Amplifying Significant days such as Anaemia Mukt Bharat Diwas, Breastfeeding Week, Poshan Maah. Highlighting the importance of health & nutrition through educating pregnant women, mothers and children through imparting relevant information and distribution of IEC material.
• Capacity Building Sessions of Anganwadi Workers and the program team through organising trainings for the workers on various technical aspects through trained experts to ensure quality.
• Knowledge building of mothers of children (0-6 years), pregnant and lactating women on importance of health and nutrition aspects: diet diversity, IFA consumption, birth preparedness, breast-feeding practices etc. via monthly group meetings and door to door information dissemination.
• Retaining practices and learning in the community on nutrition through sharing recipes using grains, pulses, vegetables, fruits and other cooking ingredients which are locally sourced and introducing grains other than the local palate with high nutritional value .
• Establishing community and individual kitchen gardens by using waste material to grow local vegetables to ensure diet diversity in routine.

A special event was also organised to celebrate the Nutrition Enhancement Program in Sangrur. The event saw unveiling of an exclusive recipe book, a compilation of nutritious recipes created by the local community and nutritional expert. Smile Foundation and PepsiCo Foundation handed over the information, education, and communication (IEC) material to District Administration, Sangrur for wider usage. These IEC materials were developed as part of the Nutrition Enhancement Program reiterating the importance of healthy, sustainable diet and other relevant aspects related to health of women and children

(India CSR)