By Joe Ifeizu
In Anambra State, what initially seemed like a small campaign for people to embrace a healthy lifestyle, has grown into a movement, with many people in the state imbibing the teachings of the wife of the governor of Anambra State, Mrs Nonye Soludo, who goes everywhere preaching about healthy living.
Three years ago when her husband came into office as governor, Nonye Soludo who introduced her NGO, Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo started by mobilizing youths, women towards making exercise a habit. She did not only preach it, but also led the way during exercises and led her adherents every weekend, during exercise. She later moved to campaigns about what people eat, insisting that most of the ailments that have held people down today are as a result of what they eat. She preached the embrace of organic food, while soliciting for women to maintain gardens at their backyards, as such can guarantee them food at very low costs, while also helping them eat healthy food devoid of factory processed junks. 
Recently, she launched school community garden programme in schools across the state, as initiative to encourage agriculture among students. During the event which was launched at the Post Primary School Service Commission (PPSSC) premises, Mrs Soludo spoke to teachers and students alike, saying the community garden project is aimed at helping people cultivate what they eat in sacks, even right inside their compounds, so as to eat healthy food. She also added menstrual hygiene for secondary school girls by distributing sanitary materials to female students to enhance sanitary health among them.
She said: “I would be unhappy to find out that any female student is stained while in school. Such can demoralize the girl students. Healthy living must be our culture and a way of life. When you eat natural, healthy food, you reduce your chances of sickness. Students sleeping in class are often reactions to the synthetic food we feed them. Grow vegetables in your school gardens. We must eat healthily and avoid consuming what we don’t understand. Don’t eat what you don’t know. Guide the children to maintain gardens in your schools. Grow green pepper, vegetables, and other crops around your school environment. The children will benefit from selling the produce, and part of the proceeds can be used to support the less privileged in society. We must also teach our children the importance of charity.” 
She noted that her NGO; Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo has become one of the most impactful social movements in Nigeria. She also emphasized her deep commitment to the Healthy Living Garden Programme, charging students teachers and students to embrace the initiative.”
Not wanting to slow down on her drive, her NGO has gone a step further in the production of some food items that she described as organic, and which can boost health. During a recent meeting at the governor’s Lodge, Mrs Soludo proudly proclaimed that the brand of semovita being served was her product. She stated that the product can be found in various stores. She has also added a brand of kwash pap to her produce. The
Nonye Healthy Living Pap, a brand of kwash pap, produced by her to fight malnutrition among children in the state has become very highly sought after by nursing mothers and many families.
Speaking during a stakeholders meeting on the introduction of measles and rubella vaccine, at the Governor’s Lodge in Awka, the state capital, where she also distributed the pap for free, she said: “As a mother, a woman, and a public health advocate, I am particularly moved by the significance of what we’ve all gathered here to identify with. Two years ago when I had a meeting with UNICEF officials and I was shocked at the statistics of malnourished children in the state. So I went into research with a team of nutritionists and we came up with the Nonye Healthy Living Pap, which we distribute for free.
“So far, we have used it on 12,000 malnourished children in the state and the results have been tremendous and parents have been testifying. The Healthy Living Pap, has proven to be another great intervention that has changed the nutritional history of Anambra State. I’m happy to describe this one as a solid milestone – one that will be remembered by humanity and time. We have not achieved a comprehensive result if there are still children out there who need this supplement but have not gotten it. No child should die out of malnutrition in Anambra State when we can do something,” she said.
She has also championed the advocacy for vaccination of children as a way of fighting diseases among children. During the introduction of the measles and rubella vaccination, she said they are highly contagious viral infections that have led to unnecessary suffering, complications, and even deaths among our children.
She said: “With the introduction of this combined vaccine, we now have a powerful tool to change that narrative — to reduce childhood mortality, prevent long-term disabilities, and secure the health of future generations. I however do not think children should be forcefully vaccinated. I can understand when schools reject vaccination of their pupils because they fear that parents may come back to fight them if their children are vaccinated without their knowledge. But we can try a new system where if children do not show evidence of complete vaccination, they will not be enrolled in schools.”
The health advocacies of Mrs Soludo have not gone unnoticed. She has garnered lots of awards for her efforts. Recently, the prestigious Chukwuemeka. Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), bestowed a honorary doctorate award on her for her commitment and doggedness in championing healthy living. The event which held during the combined convocation of the university last month at Igbariam attracted several dignitaries who testified to the impact of her advocacies.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Kate Omenugha who spoke during the conferment praised Mrs Soludo for her doggedness and continuous effort to ensure a healthy lifestyle for the people. She said it was intentional that the institution awarded a honorary doctorate in public health and nutrition on her for championing healthy lifestyle in the state through her NGO, Healthy Living with Nonye. Omenugha said the award, which is dubbed Ojukwu Legacy Award was instituted to encourage people who have distinguished themselves in several field.
