Healthy eating programme sponsored by Mars Africa
As part of the 2011 Mars Ambassador Program visit to South Africa, Rebecca Cohen trained Mars Associates from South Africa, the UK, Belgium, Brazil and the US on backyard gardening and the creation of health and nutrition materials, allowing them to return to their home countries and create similar programs.
In South Africa, Mars Africa has chosen Grade 2 learners at Cape Town based primary school, Marconi Beam, as its venue and outdoor classroom. Earlier this week, the ambassadors and Cohen worked carefully with the learners and their teachers in educating them on healthy eating and nutrition through cultivating their own vegetables. Teachers and learners were taught about plant lifecycles, the importance of organic gardening and correct maintenance of an organic garden. Each child planted their own seeds in a movable container, which allowed kids to take it into their classroom or take home to share with their family.
The programme was created in 2008 with a mission to provide meaningful engagement opportunities for associates, in-line with the company's core business objectives, corporate responsibility priorities and commitment to putting its principles of quality, responsibility mutuality, efficiency and freedom into action to make a difference in communities throughout the world.
"We were extremely excited to be part of this program and to increase our knowledge on nutrition. Most importantly, it was an amazing experience to pass on our skills to the learners at the school," says Tumi Masekela, corporate affairs manager at Mars Africa and ambassador for the 2011 Mars Ambassador Program.
For more information on Mars Africa visit http://rd.mars.com/South+Africa/en/Home.htm
