From the encouragement a mother receives at home to the guidance of a healthcare worker, the understanding of an employer, the reassurance of another mother and the support of her community, successful breastfeeding is strengthened when mothers are surrounded by people and systems that enable them to thrive.
This was the message Lagos Food Bank Initiative (LFBI) championed during the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week, held from August 1–7, under the theme, “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works.” Through its Nutritious Meal Plan Intervention for Vulnerable Mothers and Children (NUMEPLAN) program, Lagos Food Bank used the week to emphasize practical support, to provide health services and to encourage to boost the morale breastfeeding mothers, while bringing together caregivers, healthcare workers, corporate organizations and volunteers.
The four-day activities included engagements with breastfeeding mothers and caregivers as well as healthcare workers at Sango Maternity Health Center on August 4 and Papa Ashafa Health Post on August 6, both in Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State. The outreaches were made possible through Lagos Food Bank’s long-standing collaboration with the health facilities.
Speaking about the initiative, the Medical Officer of Health for Agege Local Government, Dr. Olufunmilayo Ayegbusi, said, “I am happy that Lagos Food Bank brought these outreaches to Agege Local Government Area and I hope we both have more stronger collaboration for improved health outcomes of mothers and their infants.”
On August 5, mothers enrolled in the NUMEPLAN programme, alongside other mothers invited from Primary Healthcare Centers across different communities, gathered at Lagos Food Bank for vital health screenings and one-on-one counselling from clinicians.
In partnership with AVON HMO, the mothers received professional health counselling and gift items, alongside nutritious food packages provided by Lagos Food Bank.
“For me, the experience is beyond the services and items I got here today but the feeling that some people are thinking about how the health of me and my child can be better” – Mummy Imran
The week also highlighted the importance of strengthening the systems around breastfeeding mothers. Support from partners, grandmothers and mothers-in-law at home, healthcare workers in health facilities, employers in the workplace, other mothers through peer-to-peer support and the wider community can make a meaningful difference in a mother’s breastfeeding journey. To further strengthen frontline health services, EMZOR Pharmaceutical Industries Limited donated essential medicines, including paracetamol, vitamin C, multivitamins and first-line antimalarial medicine to support the participating health centers.
The conversation extended beyond the outreach locations when Rilwan Oyedele, Senior Nutrition Officer at Lagos Food Bank, was hosted on Nigeria Info 99.3 FM to discuss breastfeeding support and the role of different stakeholders in creating an enabling environment for mothers.
World Breastfeeding Week may have ended, but the responsibility to support breastfeeding mothers continues. For Lagos Food Bank, the week was not simply a celebration but a call to strengthen the partnerships, services and support systems that already work.