May 10, 2023

Promoting healthy living for BIPOC and immigrant children

How I founded the NELY project to educate and empower youth through nutrition, exercise, and learning
Student in the forest

Hey everyone! My name is Lekan Ajibulu, and I am the founder of the NELY service project with the Scholars Academy. Our project, NELY, which stands for Nutrition, Exercise, Learning for Youth, aims to promote healthy living among BIPOC and immigrant children who may not have access to exercise and nutrition information.

Growing up as a Nigerian immigrant, I didn't have access to information about healthy eating and exercise, and it led to some serious health issues for me growing up. That's why I'm so passionate about this project - I want to ensure that other children don't have to go through what I did.

When we started the project in 2021, we faced some challenges, like difficulty in contacting non-profit organizations and the COVID-19 pandemic preventing in-person sessions. But we didn't let that stop us! We were able to deliver our program virtually to a small group of BIPOC kids through a non-profit organization.

Students cutting up ingredients

This year, we've added a cooking component to our program, so that children can have experiential learning opportunities based on what they've learned. I was initially hesitant about this, because of the many logistics involved in food preparation and safety, but it turned out to be a game changer. We've received so much support and interest from organizations, and we're now on track to reach over 200 children and youth through partnerships with organizations like YMCA, Trellis, Calgary Bridge Foundation, and Kids up Front.

Health promotion is so important, and I believe that every child deserves access to this information. If someone hadn't told me about healthy living, I wouldn't have been able to change my lifestyle and develop a passion for healthy living. Through NELY, my goal is to give as many kids as possible the opportunity to live healthier, longer lives.