Mumbai Public School L.K. Waghji International (IGCSE)

Mumbai Public School L.K Waghji International (IGCSE), a state kindergarten and primary school in Mumbai, India, has taken significant strides to foster healthy lifestyles among its students. Faced with the challenge of students consuming junk food like chips and chocolates, leading to poor nutrition and significant food wastage, the school launched the "Mission Healthy Food" project. This initiative aimed to transform eating habits and promote overall wellbeing.

Despite facing low funding, the school has embraced a mission to excel in research and innovation, particularly focusing on the holistic development of its students. The project began with educational sessions led by renowned paediatricians and doctors, who taught teachers and students about the ill effects of junk food and the benefits of a balanced diet. The school then engaged parents through informative sessions, using innovative resources like rangoli to highlight the importance of nutritious meals. This comprehensive approach included the implementation of a 21-day healthy food challenge, where students were rewarded with stars for bringing healthy lunches.

As a result of the initiative, more students now eat the nutritious, school-provided lunch, leading to an increased need for food supplies. The visible reduction in junk food packaging waste and the increase in fresh fruit peelings in dustbins are testament to the project's success. Additionally, students have become proactive in promoting healthy eating, both within the school and at home.

The school has also integrated its healthy food mission into its curriculum by having students create board games on healthy eating. This hands-on approach reinforced healthy habits and fostered creativity and collaboration among students.

Winning the World's Best School Prize for Supporting Healthy Lives would enable Mumbai Public School L.K Waghji International to reward its students further, exhibit their achievements, and share their successful practices with other schools, thereby promoting a culture of health and wellness across the community.