Olam Nigeria Limited, has launched a community health awareness campaign initiative in the Northwest state of Jigawa, designed to complement the healthcare delivery of the State Government.
The campaign tagged ‘Olam Healthy Living Project’, is being implemented under the corporate responsibility and sustainability initiative of the company, to increase awareness about the rising incidence of cardiovascular disease in the country.
Flagging-off the 3-day campaign at the premises of Gumel Emirate Foundation, in Gumel, Jigawa State, Emmanuel Akoyibo, who is the coordinator of the Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Program of the company, disclosed that the campaign was geared at scaling up wellness among farmers in communities in the Olam sesame supply chain in the state.
Akoyibo revealed that the program is being implemented in partnership with the Jigawa State Ministry of Health, and medical experts in the field of cardiology drawn from both the public and private in the state.
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He said that about 225 farmers participating in the Sesame production programme of the company from the benefiting communities, are being sensitized on the various CVD risk factors and the preventive measures to lower the risk of the disease.
“The project entails the sensitization of the farmers about the basic causes of the disease, and steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of coming up with the disease.
“During the three-day programme, the Medical Team will be measuring the blood pressure of all the participants to ascertain their status and provide appropriate advice on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“The sensitization became imperative with the rise in risk for cardiovascular diseases. We believe that a healthy Olam resides in the health and well-being of all the stakeholders in our supply chains and workplace”, Akoyibo explained in his speech during the flag off campaign.
Also speaking at the occasion, Bulama Bashir, Olam CRS Community representative, noted the program was borne out of the care that the management of the company have for the Nigerian farmers, and the benefitting communities.
“This program which is being carried out as part of our corporate social responsibility is a demonstration of our commitment to assisting our partnering farmers to live well.
“The particular initiative, along with other similar projects which we have been implementing for a very long time now have impacted greatly on the development of the benefiting communities.
It would be recalled that similar intervention, known as ‘Sesame Sustainable Village Program’ designed to assist farmers with training on good agricultural practices, free improved sesame seeds, loan of agricultural inputs such as fertilizer and pesticides and a buy -back of farmers produce at a premium price over the years, is being implemented.
“The company has also initiated clean water projects by digging boreholes in communities, such as Gagarawa, Garki, and Sule tankarkar, as well as provided educational materials to the communities”, Bulama Bashir, stated.
In his remarks, Kabiru Mohammed Ahmed, director, Primary Health Care of the Gumel local Government Area, commended the company for demonstrating serious concern about its farming community, and placing priority on health and well-being of the farmers.
At the end of the campaign the farmers are expected to pass down the knowledge they have learned to their families and fellow farmers who are not privileged to participate in the program.
