Pupils spread healthy living message

The National Poster Contest, sponsored by the Majid Al Futtaim Charity Foundation, attracted 150 entrants in hand-drawn and computer-generated categories.

Finalists of the Majid Al Futtaim Charity Foundation National School Posters Competition on “Healty Lifstyle”. Andrea Ella Mascunana from The Philippine School Dubai (left) won first place in the handShow more

DUBAI // Thirty pupils have been rewarded after using their art skills to spread the healthy living message.

Cash prizes were handed out to the winners of a competition to design posters promoting a sensible diet and exercise.

The National Poster Contest, sponsored by the Majid Al Futtaim Charity Foundation, attracted 150 entrants.

All pupils in the UAE between the ages of 11 and 18 were invited to design a poster, either by hand or using a computer, that could educate their peers and the public about the benefits of a healthy, active life.

“Schools are a very important media where you can spread this message,” said Prof Najib Al Khaba, chief executive of the foundation.

“Like we educate them in mathematics, English and everything, we will educate them in the healthy manners, the healthy ideas.”

First prize went to Andrea Mascunana, 14, who received a trophy, Dh5,000 and a big hug from her little sister for her hand-drawn entry.

Her artwork featured two scenarios on what appeared to be one piece of paper ripped in half.

The left side of the page, titled Before, featured an overweight man eating a burger and cake and having a fizzy drink. The right side, titled After, showed a fit man in shorts and a t-shirt jogging under a blue sky and bright sunshine. The poster was called Lifestyle Modification.

“Mostly it’s about a new start or a new page,” said Andrea, a grade 8 pupil at the Philippine School in Dubai.

“Our life is like a piece of paper. Sometimes we just have to tear down the bad parts and just make a new start, make a new story.

“We’re ripping out that old life of ours, that old lazy life, and starting anew with a new page, fresh start.”

Andrea aspires to be a fine artist in the future, which is one of the reasons she entered the contest.

Asked if she leads a healthy lifestyle, she admitted she is more “in-between.”

“But I’ll get to the healthy lifestyle soon,” she said, and the contest was “inspiring”.

“Before I was like the old page book, I was lazy. Now I’m more into a healthier lifestyle.”

Reebhu Pal, 13, was a runner-up in the hand-drawn category for his submission. The words “live life to the fullest” were surrounded by pictures of vegetables, water, and people practicing yoga under sun rays.

“We can eat good, we can have a good diet, we can exercise, we can do yoga and by following nature we can live life to the fullest,” said Reebhu, a pupil at Delhi Private School in Dubai. “I should exercise a bit more and I should have a better diet.”

The contest was part of the foundation’s Start Making All the Right Turns (SMART) programme, which aims to prevent cardiovascular diseases through a host of educational outreach programmes.

These teach students about the benefits of a healthy diet and regular physical exercise.

The contest was sponsored in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Heath in conjunction with the first Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases Congress in the UAE, being held in Dubai until Saturday.

The top 30 posters will be on display at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City until January 11. They will then be displayed at malls and schools across the country.

The first-place winners in each category received Dh5,000, second place Dh4,000, third place Dh3,000 and the 24 remaining runners-up won Dh1,000 each.

The first, second and third-place winners in the computer design category were Mariem Al Jafli, from Falaj Al Muaalla Secondary School; Ahalya Sudheer, of Our Own English School; and Noora Al Suwaidi, of Al Ryadah Public School.

Tanveer Akbar, of Our Own High School, won third place in the hand-drawn competition.