CHAMPS® sponsors primary school-based campaign co-organised by Sin Chew Media Corporation and the National Union of School Heads
KUALA LUMPUR, 12 April 2023 – Duopharma Biotech Berhad (“Duopharma Biotech” or “the Company”) has joined a nationwide campaign to promote balanced nutrition among schoolchildren. Co-organised by Sin Chew Media Corporation and the National Union of School Heads Malaysia (Kesatuan Kebangsaan Guru-Guru Besar Malaysia), the Kempen Pemakanan Seimbang CHAMPS® features Duopharma Biotech’s leading nutrition brand CHAMPS® as the main sponsor.
The campaign was officially launched here today by Deputy Minister of Education Lim Hui Ying, witnessed by Koo Cheng, Executive Director of Sin Chew Media Group and CEO of Sin Chew Daily, Chuah Soo Cheng, President of the National Union of School Heads Malaysia and Wan Amir-Jeffery Wan Abdul Majid, Chief Executive Officer-Commercial of Duopharma Biotech Berhad. Also present were teachers and students from selected participating schools and nutritionists from the Ministry of Health.
Running from 20 March to 15 December 2023, the Kempen Pemakanan Seimbang CHAMPS® is targeted at all 996 national-type Chinese language primary schools (SJKC) across Peninsular Malaysia. As part of the campaign, nutritionists from the Ministry of Health will visit 100 selected primary schools to give talks on balanced nutrition and healthy eating to the students, in fun and interactive sessions.
“In line with our mission of being the “Leading Healthcare Group Providing Quality and Innovative Solutions”, Duopharma Biotech takes the issue of childhood nutrition seriously. Although our key proposition is the convenience of supplements that enable parents to ensure their children are getting their recommended daily intake of vitamins and nutrients, we also firmly believe in the importance of a balanced diet to maintain good health – not just among children, but among people of all ages. Besides, as a proudly Malaysian company, we are keen to support national goals, such as the call for various segments of society to participate in fighting the burden of malnutrition among children,” said Wan Amir-Jeffery Wan Abdul Majid, Chief Executive Officer-Commercial, Duopharma Biotech Berhad.
A pressing national concern
Recently, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had called on societal stakeholders to participate in solving the problem of malnutrition among approximately 5.6 million schoolchildren in Malaysia, when speaking on the 2022-2030 National Strategic Plan to Combat the Double Burden of Malnutrition Among Children in Malaysia.
The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) had previously found that incidences of stunting in children under five in Malaysia had increased to 21.8% in 2019 from 17.7% in 20152. Currently, Malaysia is the only ASEAN country that does not reach a satisfactory level for growth standards according to the World Health Organization (WHO). To address this, former Minister of Health Khairy Jamaluddin had declared a target to reduce stunting among children to at least 8% by 2030.
The NHMS also found that children do not eat enough vegetables daily (92%), do not eat enough fruits daily (67%) and do not eat breakfast (70%), all of which can lead to malnutrition and subsequently, stunting.
Encouraging understanding among schoolchildren
The Kempen Pemakanan Seimbang CHAMPS® also features a drawing and writing competition for the SJKC students, with online submissions open until 20 July 2023. For Lower Primary Students (Standard 1 to 3), they are tasked with drawing a picture of “My Best Nutritious Breakfast” and writing a short 80-word handwritten essay to explain their choice of foods. Meanwhile, for Upper Primary Students (Standard 4 to 6), they are instead tasked to complete a story beginning with “On a highway, a cargo truck passes by and two things fall to the ground…”, whereby the content of the 1,200 to 1,500-word typed essay is required to focus on “balanced nutrition”.
The competition offers a combined cash prize of RM12,500 covering both categories. In each category, the Champion receives a cash prize of RM1,000, followed by RM800 for the Runner-up, RM600 for the 3rd Place winner, RM400 for 4th Place and RM300 for 5th Place. In addition, 20 Consolation Prize winners will receive RM150 each. A special Most Popular Prize with RM150 cash will also be presented to the entry with the most votes from public voting on the Facebook pages of Bintang Sin Chew (小星星) and Xing Xing Xue Tang (星星学堂). In addition, all winners will receive a Certificate of Achievement.
To see the full details and Terms and Conditions of the competition and keep updated on the activities under the Kempen Pemakanan Seimbang CHAMPS®, please visit https://www.facebook.com/SinChew.Champs.EatHealthy
For more information about CHAMPS®, please visit its official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ChampsVitaminsOfficial