Every year from 1st to 7th, August, the world observes World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), a global campaign that celebrates breastfeeding and calls for stronger support for mothers. The 2026 theme, “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,” reminded governments, healthcare providers, communities, and organisations that helping babies thrive begins with supporting the women who nourish them.

As part of its annual WBW campaign, the Lagos Food Bank Initiative c,arried out a series of breastfeeding awareness and maternal nutrition activities at the Food Bank and partnered Primary Healthcare Centers, alongside a radio engagement that reached an even wider audience. Through community campaigns, nutrition education, and conversations with nursing mothers and caregivers, the organisation reinforced a simple but often overlooked message: successful breastfeeding requires support.

Breastfeeding is one of the greatest gifts a mother can give her child. It provides the nutrients babies need to grow, strengthens their immune systems, and lays the foundation for lifelong health. Yet many mothers face a different reality. Rising food prices mean some struggle to afford the nutritious meals they need during pregnancy and breastfeeding, while others put their own nutritional needs aside to feed their families first.

This is why supporting breastfeeding means supporting mothers.

Through its Nutrition and Maternal Enhancement Programme (NUMEPLAN), the Lagos Food Bank Initiative provides targeted nutritional support to pregnant women, nursing mothers, and malnourished children. Working with PHCs, the programme provides nutritious food, nutrition education, micronutrient support, and follow-up care, helping mothers and babies achieve healthier outcomes during the earliest stages of infant life.

Although World Breastfeeding Week has ended, its message continues. Every nutritious meal provided to a nursing mother, every partnership that strengthens maternal nutrition, and every act of generosity helps give another child a healthier start in life.

The Lagos Food Bank Initiative invites individuals, corporate organisations, and development partners to support programmes that nourish mothers and children alike. Together, we can ensure that every mother receives the support she needs because when mothers are nourished, babies thrive, families grow stronger, and communities flourish.