Trukai launches nutrition program in partnership with BbP
Trukai Industries under its Tru Hero campaign has partnered with Buk bilong Pikinini and have launched two books aimed at improving children’s nutrition in PNG through education. Malnutrition is growing at an alarming rate in PNG with one in every five children diagnosed with malnutrition and is the leading underlying cause of deaths in children under five years old.
These books consist of a picture book about two super heroes named Tru and Kai who go on an adventure to help their community through good nutrition, while the other is a program text book for teachers, students and families. This program textbook identifies healthy healthy super foods found in PNG and provides in depth information in their nutritional value, good hygiene and features some of Chef Julz’s TruInspiration recipes.
Trukai Industries has fully funded the printing of 20,000 copies of the Tru and Kai storybook and the Program textbook. These will be distributed to all Buk bilong Pikinini Library Learning Centres in Port Moresby, Lae and Goroka and will be sold at Theodist outlets across PNG to raise funds for Buk bilong Pikinini to further drive the nutrition literacy agenda and their operations to improve literacy rates in PNG, specializing in early childhood learning.
Trukai Industries General Manager for Sales and Marketing and Supply Chain, Andrew Grace, explained that their partnership with BbP signified their investments in communities and that their partnership demonstrated the company’s value for education as a fundamental tool in nation building.
“Our partnership with Buk bilong Pikinini in creating this nutrition education program signifies our commitment and investment in education, good health, nutrition and the wellbeing of Papua New Guineans and its future generation. This partnership not only signifies our investments in communities as a good corporate citizen, but it also underpins our values as a manufacturer of a high quality staple product, that is rice, and a major contributor towards food security in PNG,” said Grace.
He added, “It is through such partnerships that we can build a healthier, nutrition conscious and active generation as we work in line to address the PNG Government’s Medium Term Development Plan goals under the strategic priority area of improving nutrition standards and reduce malnutrition in PNG.”
Buk bilong Pikinini Founder Anne-Sophie Hermann was grateful for their partnership with Trukai Industries stating that the two books will allow the students and their families’ access to nutritional education.
“Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) is grateful to Trukai for their partnership to create a beautiful children’s superhero picture book and program text book for our upcoming Nutrition program. This support is critical as it will allow the students in our Early Childhood Education program - and their families - to gain access to nutritional education, which will assist them with ensuring that children are eating the correct foods to sustain them through their schooling,” said Hermann.
“We have noted that children and families are moving towards a diet of ultra-processed foods and drinks, which is not suitable for growing minds and bodies as they contain no vitamins, minerals and fibre. We are looking forward to be launching this program during Literacy Week together with our partners and to be supporting the children to become ’nutritionally literate’ by teaching them how to gain strength and mental focus through eating all the beautiful super foods that PNG has to offer,” she added.
The Tru and Kai storybook and the Nutritional Guide were launched during the Buk bilong Pikinini’s Literacy week on Monday 2 September at the Buk bilong Pikinini Library Learning Centre at the University of Papua New Guinea. Present at the launch was the Deputy Australian High Commissioner Dr Joanne Loundes, National Department of Education First Assistant Secretary Steven Tandale, Former Kumuls Captain and Sir Brian Bell Foundation family member David Mead and Exxon Mobil PNG’s Planning & Contributions Supervisor Belinda Gurra.
Trukai Industries, through its Tru Hero campaign hopes to reach as many children, families and communities in PNG by making awareness about healthy eating through this partnership.