When Ibrahim’s mother arrived at the gates of the Lagos Food Bank, she carried a despondent look and a very weak child in her arms. The little boy was visibly struggling. She had come straight from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where doctors had told her that nothing more could be done after the first surgery failed and the second one was delayed indefinitely due to lack of funds. Her son was battling tuberculosis and pneumonia, with a surgical wound on his right chest wall. In her desperation, the hospital had referred her to the Food Bank, trusting that nutritional support could help bridge a critical gap in his care.

Cases like Ibrahim’s are far more common than many realize. According to UNICEF, Nigeria has one of the highest burdens of child malnutrition globally, with over 11 million children under five experiencing severe food poverty. The World Health Organization notes that malnutrition is an underlying factor in nearly 45% of deaths among children under five worldwide.

That day, young Nuhu Ibrahim was enrolled into the NUMEPLAN program. The in-house dietitian and nutritionist, deeply moved by the case, immediately went to work designing a tailored medical nutrition therapy. What followed was nothing short of remarkable. Within three months of consistent intervention, the surgical site healed completely. On his next visit to LUTH, the medical team was amazed as Ibrahim was declared healthy, and his chest was clear.

This is the kind of transformation that defines the NUMEPLAN program of the Lagos Food Bank Initiative.

Research from the World Food Programme shows that children suffering from malnutrition are up to 11 times more likely to die from common illnesses compared to well-nourished children. The NUMEPLAN program provides tailored nutritious food support, practical nutrition education, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation to vulnerable mothers and children. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, over 133 million Nigerians are classified as multidimensionally poor.

Stories like Nuhu Ibrahim’s are powerful reminders of what is possible when nutrition is addressed as part of holistic care. Behind every child who blossoms under NUMEPLAN is a community of supporters who believe that no child should be lost to malnutrition when help is possible. You can help us reach more vulnerable mothers and children like Nuhu Ibrahim.

Visit Lagos Food Bank Initiative website today to learn more about how you can support this initiative. Together, we can ensure that more children not only survive but thrive.