Fortified margarine
Unilever Nigeria has won the UNICEF/CANET 2005 Blue Ribbon award for its major contribution to the reduction of micronutrient deficiency in Nigeria.
The award was made by UNICEF in association with NGO Country Associate Network (CANET) to promote nutrition for community development, health and education.
National data has shown that nearly 30% of children under the age of five in Nigeria are vitamin A deficient, while 62% of child deaths are associated with malnutrition. Around 42% of children are shorter that what would be expected for their age, 25% are underweight and 9% weigh less than what would be expected for their age.
Unilever has also been commended for promoting the collective action outlined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which aims to reduce micronutrient deficiency in Nigeria.
For the past 17 years the Blue Band team has been at the forefront of nutritional education in schools and hospitals in Nigeria. Workshops are held for teachers, nurses, Ministry of Education officials and parents to educate them about micronutrient-rich, fortified foods. The company also provided technical marketing support for the government's current vitamin A media campaign.
