A partnership between Sanofi and the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation, a public welfare foundation in China, will enable the implementation of the Kids and Diabetes in School Kids (KiDS) programme in China to promote healthy lifestyles and tackle diabetes-related stigma in schools.  

This implementation is made possible by the Sanofi China Charity Grant, which was announced amid activities to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France. The grant aims to support people with diabetes and their families by providing psychological support, health education, and programmes for children and parents to ensure a smooth transition to school life. Over the next three years, grant activities are projected to reach 10,000 people. 

According to the latest International Diabetes Federation estimates, China has the highest number of adults living with diabetes and ranks fourth in the world for the number of children and adolescents living with type 1 diabetes. These figures reinforce the need for early diabetes awareness and prevention and comprehensive support systems within schools. 

On 17 November, Bruno Helman, Programme Coordinator at the International Diabetes Federation participated in the Masterclass "FUNdamentals of a healthy childhood" during the MOVE Congress, in Madrid, Spain. MOVE is an initiative of the International Sports and Culture Association (ISCA). and is the biggest international conference dedicated to recreational sport and health-enhancing physical activity. 

The masterclass involved experts in academia (University of Ljubljana) and civil society (Youth Sport Trust International, JOGG and Gasol Foundation) sharing their experience tackling the determinants of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes and obesity. As part of this discussion, the Kids and Diabetes in Schools programme was highlighted as a successful initiative that helps to prevent diabetes stigma and discrimination.   

After the panel discussion, the audience and panellists participated in a ‘sprint workshop’ to share ideas and come up with a list of best practices, challenges and key messages to promote a healthier and more enjoyable childhood.  

On 22 November at 13:30 – 14:30 CET, IDF will host the online event “KiDS: 10 years of contributing to global wellbeing”.

During this webinar, we will celebrate a decade of success and reaffirm IDF’s commitment to contributing to the well-being of children and adolescents with diabetes and preventing type 2 diabetes. The panel will include expert speakers from IDF, ISPAD, Sanofi and regional governments.   

Speakers include: 

• Joao Valente Nabais, IDF Vice-President and Chair of the IDF Youth Committee (Portugal) 
• Prof Akhtar Hussain, IDF President (Bangladesh/Norway) 
• Dr Rupa Naik, Deputy Director, Directorate of Health Services, Goa State (India) 
• Olivier Charmeil, Executive Vice President, General Medicines, Sanofi (France) 
• Fiona Olivier, Global Head Corporate Affairs, General Medicines, Sanofi (France)
• Prof Gun Forsander, Leader of Diabetes in Schools Interest Group, ISPAD (Sweden)
• Vivian Xiao, Head of Communications, Sanofi Greater China (China) 

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On 18-19 October, world leaders turned their attention to school meals at the pivotal School Meals Coalition Ministerial Meeting. The summit was chaired by two countries in the three-country coalition task force, Finland and France. In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted this first global summit on the theme: Investing in Future Generations: Human Capital, Sustainable Food Systems and Climate Change Action Through School Meals. The summit mobilised member states, development partners and donors to increase efforts to reach all primary school children by 2030. 

IDF, in line with the goal of the Kids and Diabetes in Schools (KiDS) programme to "raise awareness on the benefits of healthy food choices and physical activity among school-age children", joined forces with the School Meals Coalition and co-signed the Call to Action on School Meals for adequate funding, strong nutrition standards and independent accountability.  

During the summit, member states established a clear policy action agenda to expand the quality and benefits provided by the programme. Concurrently, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) supported the global school meals development with work on food systems, climate action, health, social protection and education sectors.  

Read the full call to action

On 20 October, IDF will be holding a  KiDS workshop  at the 49th  Annual Conference of the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD).

During this session, the IDF team will present the KiDS programme and resources and participants will learn how to use the IDF KiDS Advocacy Toolkit at national, regional and local levels to advocate for diabetes education programmes in schools. 

On 28 September, IDF, in collaboration with IDF Blue Circle Voice Roxana Vizcaíno, animated a Kids and Diabetes in Schools (KiDS) session for pupils aged 11 - 12 at Colegio Liceo Los Andes in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Bruno Helman, IDF KiDS Programme Coordinator, presented the different types of diabetes and the warning signs, and highlighted the importance of physical activity and a healthy diet for diabetes management and prevention. Sergio Jaramillo, a pupil at the school, shared his story of living with type 1 diabetes to raise awareness of the condition among his peers.  

The session was part of a KiDS initiative to partner with local advocates and associations to organise photo and video shoots during diabetes educational sessions. Assets from these sessions help illustrate the on-the-ground actions of KiDS advocates and further reinforce the importance of national KiDS policy in schools. 

Students in 6th grade at the International College IC -Ain Aar in Beirut (Lebanon) organised a Bike-A-Thon in collaboration with DiaLeb on 23 June that welcomed over 200 participants. Their inspiration for the event came while studying Ancient Greek history and the Olympic games.  

At the launch, Dr. Jackie Maalouf, president of DiaLeb, and Nour Ibrahim, a young girl living with diabetes, were guest speakers. Their talks to students stressed the importance of raising funds for children with diabetes who are unable to buy insulin and treatment accessories. They also gave examples of healthy lifestyles for people living with diabetes and to prevent the condition.  

Proceeds from the Bike-A-Thon will go towards DiaLeb awareness raising activities to promote healthy lifestyles and spread awareness about diabetes so those living with the condition, their families and carers can better manage health outcomes.  

The initiative had a profound effect on the students, including Emile Obeid, “I'm proud of the fact that with the help of my legs and while biking and having fun, I was able to raise money for kids living with diabetes. Even when I felt like giving up, I had that relentless feeling of willpower to thrive and give the kids who live with diabetes hope for a better future.”  

Learn more about the DiaLeb Bike-A-Thon in this vlog produced by students at the International College IC -Ain Aar.  

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is delighted to announce that it has partnered with the School Meals Coalition, an emerging initiative of 82 governments and NGO and corporate partners. Together they drive actions to urgently re-establish, improve and scale up food and education systems, support pandemic recovery and implement measures to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

The Coalition supports quality school meals globally, tailoring school meal systems to local conditions and promoting the sharing of international best practices.  

IDF looks forward to collaborating with the School Meals Coalition and its members to improve the lives of students with diabetes and those at risk of developing the condition.

Image copyright: School Meals Coalition

At the 3rd World NCD Congress in Toronto, Canada, IDF showcased the success of the “Kids and Diabetes in Schools (KiDS)” programme through an informative poster presentation.

Initiated in 2013, KiDS aims to bring diabetes education to schools to fight diabetes-related stigma and promote healthy lifestyles to tackle the preventable risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Starting early with diabetes education in schools and promoting healthy habits can be a stepping-stone toward a diabetes-free future and remove diabetes misconceptions and stigma that many children with the condition face.

Through KiDS, IDF trains advocates to encourage local and national policymakers to develop school policies and initiatives that foster the inclusion of students with diabetes and tackle the risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

As of 2022, the KiDS programme has reached more than 340,000 students and 19,800 teachers in 2,100 schools with resources downloaded over 20,000 times.

KiDS is an educational programme supported by an educational grant from Sanofi.