OREANDA-NEWS. Gubkin kindergartens, winners of the competition for the best child healthcare and illness prevention programme, began implementation of their schemes using funds provided by Metalloinvest.

The competition took place through April and May 2013 within the framework of the “Healthy Child” programme, carried out since 2012 by the Gubkin town administration with Metalloinvest's support. Thirteen Gubkin pre-school educational establishments with the best programmes received Metalloinvest grants, which they used to purchase specialist sports equipment.

Inna Kurinskikh, the Head Teacher at Kindergarten #2, said: “The new high-quality equipment motivates children to exercise and enables them to develop sports skills. The children are very happy to learn how to use fitness steps, tennis racquets and balls, play-ball pool, as well as the large and completely safe playground modules with a serious “adult” name of “Mountain-climber”.

The “Healthy Child” programme, which provided the funding, gives further impetus to our work to keep the children healthy. This is true for all kindergartens taking part in the programme. We feel that we have found truly like-minded people in the competition's organisers.” The competition among the kindergartens became one of the key elements of the “Healthy Child” programme. Its total prize fund amounted to RUB 400,000.

Olga Bessolova, an advisor on social issues to the CEO of Management Company METALLOINVEST, noted: “It is not just about the financial support. The competition participation allows, on one hand, to unite the efforts of kindergarten staff, parents and children during project development, and, on the other hand, to learn about ideas at other kindergartens and share experiences. I know that the contest generated a lot of interest in the town, and the number of people who would want to participate will be significantly higher next year.”

The total budget of the “Healthy Child” programme, implemented by Metalloinvest and Gubkin town administration, is RUB 5.6 million, taking into account all programme participants' contributions. In line with the programme's priorities agreed for 2013, the funds are allocated for the development and implementation of healthcare and illness prevention schemes for children of pre-school age, installing sports facilities at kindergartens, training pre-school educational institutions staff and so on.