Danielle Ribeiro from Great.com interviewed the Lagos Food Bank Initiative as part of their ‘Great.com Talks With…’ podcast. This series is an antidote to negative news stories that aims to shed light on organizations and experts whose work is making a positive impact on the world.
In a country where food insecurity affects millions, Lagos Food Bank (LFB) is taking proactive steps to ensure the most vulnerable are not forgotten. Established in 2015, we have grown into one of Nigeria’s leading nonprofits focused on addressing both immediate hunger and its underlying causes. What sets Lagos Food Bank apart is our holistic approach—tackling food insecurity through a combination of direct food aid and sustainable development programs.
Today, Dr. Michael Sunbola, the Founder and Executive Director of Lagos Food Bank Initiative talked with *Great.com* about how our work goes beyond food distribution to address the root causes of hunger and malnutrition, ensuring long-term solutions for the communities we serve.
One of our key initiatives is the Nutritious Meal Plan For Vulnerable Mothers And Children initiative (NUMEPLAN), designed to improve the health of vulnerable individuals by providing balanced, nutritious meals. Targeting pregnant women, infants, and the elderly, this program ensures that those most at risk of malnutrition receive the nutrients they need to lead healthier lives. Alongside food distribution, NUMEPLAN focuses on educating these groups about healthy eating habits, making it a long-term wellness initiative rather than just a short-term relief effort.
Beyond immediate food aid, our Family Farming Program (FFP) is creating lasting change by equipping low-income households with agricultural skills and resources to grow their food. Through training, seeds, and tools, this program helps families sustain themselves and generate income by selling surplus crops. It’s a transformative initiative that not only addresses hunger but also fosters financial independence for those living in poverty.
Our Education Enhancement Intervention For Food Insecure Students (EDUFOOD) takes another crucial step by focusing on school children. Understanding the link between nutrition and learning, we provide food assistance to children from low-income families to reduce dropout rates and encourage academic success. This ensures that students have the energy and focus needed to thrive in the classroom.
Lagos Food Bank is also advancing its mission through the Medical Outreach Initiative. Recognizing the connection between food security and health, we regularly partner with healthcare providers to offer free medical check-ups and medications alongside food distributions. By addressing both hunger and healthcare needs, we deliver comprehensive support to those in need.
Through these initiatives, Lagos Food Bank is tackling food insecurity from multiple angles, ensuring that our efforts not only provide short-term relief but also create sustainable change in the lives of those we serve.
Great.com is an organization aimed at solving the world’s most dire problem — global climate change. Starting in New Jersey, their mission is to take money from an otherwise harmful and greedy industry (online casinos) and move it towards a positive and good cause (solving the climate crisis). In addition to directly donating 100% of the revenue they earn in the casino industry, they also launch and manage fundraising campaigns to persuade casino entrepreneurs to donate. So far, they’ve generated over $2 million to climate research through their own donations and proceeds from their fundraising initiatives.