Beiersdorf donates over 115 Million Naira to Lagos Food Bank Initiative to mitigate hunger in Nigeria

Beiersdorf (BDF), manufacturers of Nivea range of products in Nigeria has joined forces with the Lagos Food Bank Initiative by donating NGN. 115 Million to mitigate hunger by providing meals to the less privileged and curtail the adverse effect of the food insecurity caused by Coronavirus pandemic fueled job/income losses in the country.

From Left: Country Manager, Beiersdorf Nigeria, Godwin Harrison; Founder, Lagos Food Bank Initiative (LFBI) Michael Sunbola; and Faizal Kayode, Beiersdorf Nigeria Shopper and Customer Marketing Manager at the presentation of Beiersdorf’s N115m donation to LFBI to provide meals to over 350,000 Nigerians to mitigate hunger caused by COVID-19.

The donation is part of a regional partnership with the Global Food Banking Network (GFN) and local Nigerian affiliate – Lagos Food Bank Initiative LFBI) and is carried out under Beiersdorf‘s “Care Beyond Skin” Corporate Social Responsibility initiative.

The partnership seeks to impact over 350,000 beneficiaries which include 4,000 schoolchildren in 20 schools per month, vulnerable, expectant mothers, infants, as well as children who are malnourished and living in underserved communities in Lagos state.

As part of the 12-month long partnership, Beiersdorf and the Lagos Food Bank Initiative in Nigeria (LFBI) will fund the Education Enhancement Intervention for Food Insecure Students (EduFood), a school feeding program where LFBI provides nutritionally balanced food parcels to 12 primary schools in Lagos benefitting 2,400 school children and their families.

Another arm of the COVID-19 Community Intervention program is the 16-month Nutritious Meal Plan Intervention for Vulnerable Mothers and Children (Numeplan) Project that focuses on expecting mothers and infants who are malnourished, vulnerable to malnutrition.

LFBI, through the partnership also aims to build its capacity through improved service to its existing beneficiary base, increase service scale exponentially by increasing warehouse capacity and locations, cold chain capacity, fleet, and human resources.

Globally, Beiersdorf is taking a targeted approach to provide effective and direct support where help is urgently needed. Locally, the company is focusing on two areas: financial support for NGOs, production, and donation of hand sanitizers to government health care facilities, and vulnerable members of the community.

According to Godwin Harrison, Country Manager – Nigeria at Beiersdorf, “Food banks are powerful interventions which change lives and communities. They are an interconnected lifeline to the hungry and equip communities to feed themselves. We as Beiersdorf recognize the importance of strengthening food banks as it fosters resilience and enhances the community’s capability to fight hunger long term.”

Food banking works by collecting surplus food from various entities such as farms, grocery retailers, food manufacturers and distributors, restaurants, and hospitality organizations as well as government and consumers. Food is collected at food banks and is thereafter distributed to community service organizations who deliver onwards to hungry people.

Michael Sunbola, Lagos Food Bank Initiative Founder said the organization is grateful for the donation from Beiersdorf Nigeria as it enables them to reach more beneficiaries with much-needed nutrition at this crucial time. He said this will enhance its capacity to support food security resilience in COVID-19 emergency and recovery activities in the country.

Beiersdorf Nigeria is a subsidiary of Beiersdorf AG, a German multinational company that manufactures and retails skin & personal care products globally.