Unilever Nigeria recently marked its 2014 Red Balloon Day as it seeks to help tackle a select number of unmet social needs by collaborating with 5 global partners including Save the Children and UNICEF. The Red Balloon Day is part of Unilever’s campaign to create a bright future where every child lives to their fifth birthday, no child goes to bed hungry, and every child has the right to a happy childhood. It is also an event that gives Unilever an opportunity to commemorate its partnership with Save the Children and the company re-affirms its commitment to doing well by doing good. The event took place at the Unilever Nigeria Head Office in Lagos.
As part of Unilever Nigeria’s collaboration with Save the Children, they have successfully improved the supply and demand of maternal and newborn health services in Lagos and Jigawa states were health workers are being trained, and health centers donated. In Lagos alone, a total number of 27 health care centers have been donated by the company. This partnership is aimed at improving maternal mortality and child health in Nigeria.
In his opening remarks, Mr Yaw Nsarkoh, Managing Director of Unilever, stated that Unilever had made a 3 year commitment to partner with Save the Children in a bid help end the injustice of millions of children dying before they reach their 5th birthday. Additionally, he stated that an average of 700 babies die every day from complications during childbirth, preterm birth and infections, and these cases are preventable.
Present at the event were a representative from UNICEF, Dr. Isaac Aladeloye, a representative from Save the Children Foundation, Dr. Opeyemi Odedere and a Midwife from Ojodu Primary Health Care Center, Mrs. Toyin Bowale. Also present were pupils and teachers from Olusosun and Role Model Nursery & Primary Schools both in Oregun Lagos.
According to Dr. Aladeloye and Dr. Odedere, the incident of deaths of children and maternal mortality would be reduced if health centers are readily available, equipped and have experienced health care providers. Adding to this, Mrs. Toyin Bowale, one of the trained Midwives expressed her satisfaction with the partnership with Save the Children, as she stated that one of the important factors to reducing complications during childbirth was the presence of properly trained Midwives.
Unilever by working with these partners, is taking action to meet the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan’s ambitious goal of helping more than one billion people improve their health and wellbeing while creating a sustainable future.
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