Kind’s health lessons

OVER three dozen children were taught the importance of a balanced diet, exercise and the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse at the first annual children's health fair, organised by non-governmental organisation Kids in Need of Direction (Kind), at it's Laventille compound on last Thursday.

The fair which also featured exercise exhibitions, blood pressure screening and healthy lunches for participants sought to raise awareness of lifestyle diseases in TT and ways to prevent such conditions. Speaking with Newsday Kids at the fair, marketing and social media officer for Kind Matthew Ramsewak, said the event came after a similar initiative called the Kind Mind initiative, in which children in the community were taught the importance of literacy, critical thinking, problem solving and social education, through a one-day workshop.

"It's really designed to promote a healthier lifestyle among the youths in the community. The fair is the first event of this kind we have ever hosted and we are hoping to make it an annual event, where children in the community between the ages of five and 17 can come out and receive free blood-pressure testing, learn a bit about healthy eating, take part in some of the games and have some fun."

Also attending the fair were staff from the TT Red Cross Society, who featured their life-sized board game, Zap the Mosquito, a variation of snakes and ladders, which also educates players on the Zika virus. Later that afternoon children were also invited to participate in a fun and interactive zumba aerobics class.