KARACHI  -  Sanofi Pakistan initiated 2nd wave of international programme KiDS (Kids and Diabetes in Schools) with multiple partners, including Zindagi Trust, Karachi Theater Production, and eminent endocrinologists from Karachi and Islamabad along with 30 educational institutes on Friday.

Launch sessions took place at Zindagi Trust’s adopted schools Khatoon-e-Pakisan School (KPS) and SMB Fatima Jinnah School. Recognising the value of theatre or playacting for impactful communication, particularly to children, Sanofi engaged a team of theatre artists from Karachi Theater Production (KTP) to enact the story of Tom/Ali (Type 1 diabetic) from the KiDS curriculum developed by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and subsequently adapted/translated into Urdu.

The KiDS is a global collaborative project of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and multiple partners, including Sanofi. The KiDS project aims to foster a safe and supportive school environment for children with diabetes to manage their condition and prevent discrimination while raising awareness about diabetes and the benefits of healthy eating habits and physical activity among school-age children.

“KiDS is a global educational project primarily developed for school children, school staff, parents of children with diabetes and parents in general. Our plan is to engage 30 public/private sector schools from now till mid 2019 in Karachi and Islamabad,” said Asim Jamal, General Manager and Managing Director, Sanofi Pakistan.

Type 1 diabetes primarily develops in children. Albeit small in numbers, children with Type 1 diabetes often face discrimination in school and social life due to lack of understanding of their condition.

Following a riveting performance by young artists, Dr Khadija Nuzhat Humayun (Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, AKUH) herself an alumna of Khatoon-e-Pakistan School (KPS), trained school students on diabetes and importance of healthy diet and exercise through an engaging interactive classroom session while with teachers her focus was more on the identification of early signs and symptoms of diabetes.

KPS and SMB Fatima Jinnah Government Girls Schools, as a part of Zindagi Trust’s School Reform project, have been transformed into vibrant centres of learning through a combination of infrastructural development, administrative upheaval, academic reforms, and student and teacher development.

“Our vision for the school is one that produces healthy, and well-rounded citizens, not just students who score A’s. The KiDS programme is a fruitful step towards our goal of student well-being, while involving other stakeholders, i.e. teachers and parents as well. A well-aware future generation can surely contribute to a healthy society.” said Sana Zaidi, the Head of Teacher Professional Development at Khatoon-e-Pakistan School (KPS).

Anam Palla, Project Manager at KPS, also supported the programme and said “A healthy mind resides in healthy body. Therefore, we feel children of all age groups must be made aware about methods of achieving a healthy lifestyle. The KiDS Programme implemented with the support of the Sanofi is a step in that direction.”