The Candlelight Foundation, a non-governmental organisation has in collaboration with Coca-Cola and others, donated food items and relief packages to residents of Oridulu, a slum community in Ajegunle area of Lagos State.
Other firms that partnered with the NGO to mitigate the increasing hunger the residents were experiencing include Nestle, Providius Bank, First Trust Mortgage Bank, and Lagos Food Bank to mark World Food Day in Lagos.
Speaking on the level of hunger in the country, Uzoamaka Okeke, executive director of Candlelight Foundation, said the hunger emergency in Nigeria is one that food alone cannot cure.
“The issues are deeper than needing a meal. We need a change of mindset, motivation, inspiration, and education. We need to teach these people that they can dream and create. But while we try to teach them these things, they must eat to even have hope for tomorrow. That is why we are here,” she said.
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According to her, this initiative will help them hold on for just one more day and mitigate the pressure of becoming a nuisance in the society.
On whether the foundation is receiving any government support, Okeke explained, “There are currently no plans with any state or local authorities. Some local authorities have even asked us to donate items to them. This is why the reform the youth are fighting for in Nigeria is so important. We are in a very critical point in Nigerian history.”
She further said that the foundation hopes that in three years, the government would have finally opened their eyes to this initiative and help spread soup kitchens across Nigeria. She added that there is also hope to be able to re-introduce numerous people as productive and creative members of society.
Also speaking, Christian Agadibe, programme director stated that the donation was one of the programmes that the Foundation carryout every quarter to give those who cannot come to the Foundation every week to eat an opportunity to benefit.
“It is also an opportunity to show them that someone still cares for them. Some of these people cannot afford one meal a day and some of them cannot cater for their families. We use the opportunity provided by the World Food Day to reach out and bring hope to them,” he said.
According to him, reaching out to the less privileged under the bridges and shanties in Lagos is a part of the annual package for the needy.
Recall that Candlelight Foundation engaged in a similar mission last year, when it fed hundreds of the less privileged at the extremely shanty and swampy area of Zumura community, Ajegunle. The foundation also collaborated with Coca-Cola a few months back to feed the hungry and homeless under the Ojuelegba Bridge during the Covid-19 lockdown.
