KATHMANDU, Nepal-In a bid to focus public and political attention on child survival, world’s largest children’s running event is taking place on 1st October at the Dasrath stadium in Kathmandu.
All together, 180 students aged 10 to 13 from 4 different schools will take part at the programme. The Race for Survival – the largest ever organised for children worldwide – will take place in 40 countries.
According to save the Children Nepal, nearly half of Nepal’s children under age five suffer from stunting, a direct result of child malnutrition. Malnutrition at such a young age can damage children permanently, impairing their brains and bodies directly impacting the development of Nepal.
About 26,000 Nepali children die before their fifth birthday due to preventable causes such as diarrhoea and pneumonia. Malnutrition is the underlying cause of roughly one-third of these child deaths. Without the nutritious food they need, children are more prone to illnesses and their weakened immune systems struggle to fight them off.
David Wright, Media and Communication Director for Save the Children in Nepal said ordinary Nepali children want the best for their cohorts regardless of their economic, social or religious background. ‘We believe that no child is born to die from preventable causes under the age of five in Nepal and aren’t afraid to say it’, he said.
Save the Children has been working in Nepal for 37 years. The child rights group delivers programmes on child protection, child rights governance, health and nutrition, HIV and AIDS, livelihoods, education, water and sanitation, and disaster preparedness.
