heks

Vitalina facilitates access to important health information for foreign language speakers who are parents of pre-school children in the cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Basel-Stadt. HEKS-trained intercultural facilitators go to the places visited by parents with young children and speak directly with mothers and fathers from their own cultural background in the relevant language. In playgrounds, in parks, at popular meeting places in the district, in playgroups or associations for migrants. The facilitators talk with parents about eating habits in the family, tell them about the link between diet, exercise and health, and give practical tips for everyday family life. They also point out existing provision, such as counselling for mothers and fathers.

Vitalina is an initiative of the canton of Basel-Landschaft and of Gesundheitsförderung Schweiz (Health Promotion Switzerland) and has been part of the “healthy body weight campaign” (aktion gesundes körpergewicht) run by the canton of BL since 2008.  Vitalina has also been implemented in the canton of Basel-Stadt since 2010 on behalf of the Department of Health Basel-Stadt.