Beiersdorf: Over 350,000 less privileged to benefit from our project against food insecurity

Beiersdorf (BDF), manufacturers of Nivea range of products in Nigeria, has donated N115 million to Lagos Food Bank Initiative (LFBI).

The company said the gesture is to mitigate hunger by providing meals to the less privileged and curtail the adverse effect of the food insecurity in the country.

The donation is part of a regional partnership with the Global Food Banking Network (GFN) and LFBI, carried out under Beiersdorf‘s “Care Beyond Skin” corporate social responsibility initiative.

The partnership seeks to impact over 350,000 beneficiaries which includes 4,000 schoolchildren in 20 schools per month, vulnerable, expectant mothers, infants, as well as children who are malnourished and living in underserved communities in Lagos state.

As part of the 12 month long partnership Beiersdorf and LFBI will fund the Education Enhancement Intervention for Food Insecure Students (EduFood), a school feeding programme where LFBI provides nutritionally balanced food parcels to 12 primary schools in Lagos benefitting 2,400 school children and their families.

Speaking during the presentation, Godwin Harrison, country manager of Nigeria at Beiersdorf, said food banks are powerful interventions which change lives and communities.

“They are an interconnected lifeline to the hungry and equip communities to feed themselves. We as Beiersdorf recognize the importance of strengthening food banks as it fosters resilience and enhances the community’s capability to fight hunger long term,” he said.

Michael Sunbola, LFBI founder, while accepting the donation said it will enable them to reach more beneficiaries with much needed nutrition at “this crucial time”.

“This donation will further enhance our capacity to support food security resilience in COVID-19 emergency and recovery activities in the country,” he said.

Food banking works by collecting surplus food from various entities such as farms, grocery retailers, food manufacturers and distributors, restaurants and hospitality organizations as well as government and consumers.

Food is collected at foodbanks and is thereafter distributed to community service organisations who deliver onwards to hungry people.

Beiersdorf Nigeria is a subsidiary of Beiersdorf AG, a German multinational company that manufactures and retails skin and personal care products globally.