The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company Foundation has launched a two-year, $3 million school health partnership with Save the Children, aimed at improving the health and nutrition of more than 273,000 school-age children in disadvantaged communities in six countries around the world.
The school-based programs will be implemented in China, Kenya, the Philippines, Tajikistan, Vietnam, and Indonesia at a grass-roots level, the company said.
The programs will address the needs of school-age children holistically, including physical health, oral health, and nutrition, Wrigley noted. Health interventions will focus on increasing access to safe water and sanitation in targeted schools and promotion of healthy behaviors, including keeping a clean school environment, hand-washing with soap, and practicing oral care, among schoolchildren, teachers, and parents.
"Providing access to health services and education, including oral health, is critical to building a positive and sustainable impact on our local communities," said Dushan Petrovich, Wrigley president and president of the Wrigley Company Foundation. "These programs will also provide our associates an opportunity to get involved in their communities, and by interacting with young children in schools, we will be boosting awareness across future generations."
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