Playing sports can be one of the most important aspects of a child’s life. Why? Sports help children learn. Through sports, children can develop confidence, independence, physical skills, concentration and creative thinking. And don’t forget, a healthy diet plays a vital part in helping children enjoy sports.
However, good health, nutrition and exercise can seem out of reach for children from underprivileged communities in Malaysia. These children record higher percentages of malnutrition than the national average. A study on poverty in low-cost flats in Kuala Lumpur conducted by UNICEF showed that approximately 97% of households are unable to provide balanced meals for children due to the high cost of food.
To tackle malnutrition in our country, the One Goal Malaysia (OGM) advocacy and awareness movement was established to empower children to eat right, play right and live right by leveraging their love of sports such as badminton. The flagship programme of OGM, Eat Right to Play Right, aims to address the issues of child malnutrition among children aged 7 to 12 years old from underprivileged communities by:
To achieve these outcomes, the programme will implement:
Badminton sessions are conducted by World Vision Malaysia staff, trained volunteer coaches and community coaches in identified communities. These sessions include health and nutrition learning activities and badminton training drills, enabling children aged seven to 12 years to learn about nutrition while applying the knowledge they gain in an active learning environment.
Volunteer and community coaches are identified and trained to deliver badminton sessions that incorporate health and nutrition messages. A two-day training course is conducted by a team of people that have relevant technical knowledge and expertise in badminton, health and nutrition, as well as child protection.
Parents and caregivers are trained in nutrition, with practical lessons on food preparation to build their knowledge and capacity in preparing nutritious meals for their children. To improve access to fresh food, training and support to start home gardens will also be provided. This will allow them to participate in community-based knowledge exchange while championing good nutrition practices for children in Malaysia!
Changing the world begins at home. In the spirit of Malaysia Day this year, let’s join hands and ensure that children in Malaysia grow up healthy and well-nourished. By donating to World Vision's Malaysia Assistance Fund, you can support the Eat Right to Play Right (Badminton) programme, helping children get healthy, hone their skills and realise their dreams through the power of sports.
Your contribution will also support community development work in Mukim Tulid and Mukim Tatalaan, Sabah, which includes health and nutrition, education, livelihood and child protection projects.
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In 2022, 84.8% of donations collected were used for programmes that benefit children, families and communities in need.
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