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The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) has commended FoodClique a Non-Governmental Organisation focused on hunger eradication for its great impact in the society and the timely intervention in providing Free School Meals for some schools in Lagos State.

The Permanent Board Member of Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board Honourable Dayo Israel while receiving FoodClique at his office was full of praise for the organisation’s good work in providing Free School Meals which according to him has impacted positively on the educational and moral performances of the students.

Speaking further during the meeting, Honourable Dayo Israel highlighted that the free school meal must be extended to other schools across the state as well due to the positive impact recorded in schools the programme has been implemented which has boosted attendance and improved academic performance.

The Founder and CEO of FoodClique Bolajoko Fadipe in his response thanked the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board under the leadership of the Chairman Mr Wahab Alawiye King for the support and cooperation granted the organization so far and also the access to work with some government schools in the state which the organization currently provide Free School Meals for in Lagos .

He further described the gesture as a great step in the right direction as the support given the project has helped to ease food burden on parents during this harsh economic period and aftermath of the Covid19 pandemic. Bolajoko Fadipe therefore assured that the free school meal has come to stay and hopefully will be extended to more schools across the state.

The TGI Cares Fund, an employee-led charity initiative of Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group, has commenced the provision of one million free meals in communities struggling with the economic impact of COVID-19.

The pandemic has left many vulnerable people in communities without a steady source of livelihood but TGI Cares Fund, focusing solely on supporting communities during and beyond the economic crisis, is giving them food items.

Speaking while handing over food items to FoodClique Support Initiative, an organisation that identifies and reaches out to the most vulnerable in communities, Group Human Resources Director and Coordinator of TGI Cares Fund, Mr Tominiyi Oni, was quoted in a statement to have reiterated the commitment of TGI employees to assisting less-privileged Nigerians.

“We are proud of our people who birthed this noble idea. These are difficult times, so I am elated that my colleagues have pooled resources together to kick start this charity drive,” he said.

Receiving the items on behalf of FoodClique Support Initiative, Team Lead, Bolajoko Fadipe, expressed gratitude for the kind gesture.

He further appreciated employees of TGI Group, promising proper distribution of the food items to the most vulnerable in low-income communities across the country.

In its first phase, 280,000 (two hundred and eighty thousand) meals have been provided for children, unemployed youth and women in Lagos State. Phase two of the charity drive will extend to other communities in the northern part of the country.

The TGI Group had previously donated the sum of N500 million to support Nigeria’s COVID-19 intervention fund organised by the Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID).

It had also donated food items to 2,000 families in Lagos, 500 families in Abuja, 500 families in Ogun and gave N20,000,000 to an Isolation and Treatment Centre in Lagos, among others.

Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group is an international investment and holding company with diversified interests. Its corporate identity is based on respect for people, its communities and the natural environment as it continuously seeks to support its communities during and beyond challenging times.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has not been spared from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has recently lifted lockdown measures, which the President acknowledges imposed a heavy economic cost on the country.
In the early days of the virus’ spread, it was touted as a great equaliser in some quarters as it does not discriminate, infecting both rich and poor. However, it has not affected us equally – glaring examples include access to health care for testing and treatment and the ability to adhere to social distancing measures. Furthermore, COVID-19 lockdowns aimed at slowing down the spread of the pandemic have severely curtailed economic activity, resulting in the loss of income, particularly for those who can ill-afford this.
This has exacerbated existing food insecurity, leaving governments, NGOs and other organisations established to assist with the response overwhelmed and overstretched.

The increased need for support during this period is massive, but through the support of companies such as PepsiCo, other corporates and the goodwill of ordinary individuals, we will do everything that we can to provide relief to communities that we serve.

FoodClique has been providing meals to thousands of vulnerable Nigerians since 2012. But the country is now experiencing extremely high levels of hunger, an unintended consequence of the COVID-19 economic shutdown.

At FoodClique, we believe that hunger is everyone’s problem, even if it does not affect you directly. Therefore, each and everyone of us who are able to offer a helping hand during these trying times, should do so.

So, to my point, COVID-19 is not an equaliser. It has actually widened social and economic divisions with many poor people lamenting that they will not die from the disease, but from hunger.

None of us know how long this pandemic will be with us, and many more will continue to suffer during this period and beyond. If you are reading this, you are probably one of the few in a position to help someone. So I urge and call upon you to do your bit to help those in need during this crisis.

PepsiCo partners with FoodClique to distribute more than 1 million meals to the most vulnerable communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lagos, 21st May, 2020 – PepsiCo Nigeria today unveiled a 1 Million Meals initiative to provide meals to vulnerable communities amidst the COVID-19 crisis. This initiative led locally by PepsiCo and enabled by The PepsiCo Foundation – the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo,will serve more than 1 million meals to communities most impacted by the socio-economic crisis caused by the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown has worsened the existing food insecurity situation in Nigeria.In response to this unfolding global social and economic crisis, PepsiCo is committing to supporting and partnering with reputable NGOs to target communities and alleviate the impact of COVID-19. The #GiveMealsGiveHope initiativewill be rolled out in partnership with FoodClique– local NGO experts, fighting hunger by identifying the most vulnerable communities through their volunteer network and working with community leaders.

PepsiCo’s Sergio Paya, General Manager Sub-Saharan Africa Beverages said,

“We launched the Give Meals, Give Hope program to meet the basic needs of the most impacted segments of the Nigerian population, as food is at the heart of what PepsiCo does. As one of the leading food and beverages companies in Nigeria and across the African continent, we believe that we have a responsibility to focus on providing essential food items to those affected by this pandemic.”

FoodClique’s Founder and CEO, Bolajoko Fadipe explains,

“We are on the forefront of the fight against hunger in Nigeria. The current pandemic has exacerbated the need for food across the country. Through the Give Meals Give Hope partnership with PepsiCo we will be able to organize food boxes and leverage our network to distribute to those who need support the most.”

The #GiveMealsGiveHope relief initiative is part of a US$45 million global initiative launched by PepsiCo and The PepsiCo Foundation, focused on helping people and communities most affected by this devastating virus. The company is funding vital support including protective gear for healthcare workers, testing and screening services, and is already in the process of distributing more than 50 million nutritious meals to at-risk populations by supporting Food Banks and other partners around the world.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $67 billion in net revenue in 2019, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Lays, 7UP, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Sting, Kurkure and Tropicana. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. “Winning with Purpose” reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

About The PepsiCo Foundation

The PepsiCo Foundation: Established in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we’re focused on helping alleviate hunger, managing water and waste responsibly and supporting women as champions of nutrition from farm to family. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsico.com/sustainability/philanthropy.

About FoodClique

A Non-Profit Charity Organization that stores and distribute purchased or donated perishable and non-perishable foods to the food insecure people through community outreach and partnership with other agencies.Since inception FoodClique has been at the forefront of fighting wide spread hunger, using various programs, among them are a community kitchen, Free School meal program for children of low-income parents, Bag of Hope for the elderly, Inmate Relief Program for prisoners, After Hunger Rehabilitation program, Food Hampers for the Destitute or Homeless, Food for Tot.

All through six gruesome weeks of COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria, even as Federal and State governments bungled the grinding task of sharing palliatives to the country’s most vulnerable masses, one strategic collaboration between non-government organisations stood out as it fed over 25,000 people across Lagos State and its immediate environs.

Leveraging on the expertise gained from 11 years of battling hunger through their community kitchen, free school meals, family meals and zero hunger programs , FoodClique Support Initiative led by its CEO, Bolajoko Fadipe partnered with Noella Foundation led by Seyi Tinubu through the “We are #strongertogether campaign” to neatly packed edibles (dry cook-able foods) in print-branded brown cartons and expertly despatched by our tirelessly volunteers in buses, cars, motorbikes and bicycles to locations both near and far flung from the NGO’s operational base in Yaba, Lagos State.

FoodClique and Noella Foundation COVID-19 exploits in helping government combat hunger among the helpless, drew the attention of Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who commended the charity organisation via video conferencing in March 2020 with Bolajoko Fadipe. The FoodClique/Noella Foundation volunteers also got invited to the Lagos State Government House in April 2020 where they got the commendation of Governor Babajide Sanwoolu, his wife and his COVID-19 workforce.

In a media statement issued by Dr. Kunle Hamilton, a FoodClique partner and communication consultant, Fadipe explained how the FoodClique idea was born 11 years ago and the new strategic partnerships that have helped them fight hunger in the land thanks to their volunteers.

“On my birthday 11 years ago, instead of rejoicing with friends, I felt a stronger urge to feed the poor and homeless and that’s exactly what I did. Fast forward to March 2020, at FoodClique, we were still contemplating our usual free community kitchen for the less privileged, until the realities of COVID-19 hit all of us.

“Our slogan at FoodClique is that hunger has a voice and with COVID-19, we heard hunger’s voice loud and clear. And we are grateful to God for the partnership of Noella Foundation chaired by Mr. Seyi Tinubu whose financial commitment and enormous goodwill extended our capacity to feed tens of thousands of vulnerable Nigerians.”

Speaking about the commitment of Noella Foundation to this humanitarian gesture, Seyi Tinubu said “It is our duty to give back to the society and I’m always hands on to help because I know the situation we are in right now is not an easy one, especially for business owners. But with our collective effort, we will achieve a lot more.”

Confident and excited, FoodClique CEO Fadipe concluded by saying, “We are grateful to God that after 11 years of our transparency and commitment to feeding the vulnerable in our society thanks to our volunteers, a good number of organisations have teamed up with FoodClique to help us defeat hunger in our land.

“Throughout the COVID-19 lockdown, we have been packing and distributing food boxes from the sanitized auditorium of CCC PraiseVille and ShaddaiVille Ministries at no cost. We could not have meet the growing number of daily emergency boxes without our partners, donors, volunteers and Praiseville ; a venue used for Church service but for now , it has become a vital link in the distribution chain for our emergency food boxes for the vulnerable in the society . Indeed, we are stronger together and this is what must define us as Nigerians at this crucial time in our history.”

FoodClique and Noella Foundation food boxes got to communities like Spencer and Borno Way in Yaba, Makoko, Ebute Metta, Akoka, Iponri, Lagos Island, Bariga, Agege, Epe, Badagry, Ikorodu, Alimosho, Igando, Igbogbo, Festac, Oshodi, Ikotun, Ojuelegba, Surulere, Ijede, Ajah, Ojo, Iyana Ipaja among others

Anne Frank once said that Hunger is not a problem, it is an obscenity, I couldn’t agree more. Hunger is a universal concept that has taken roots in every nation, wherever you find a lot of people, you will discover even more hungry people. When we listen to the news and hear reports of how the government or some organizations spend billions to fight hunger, we often feel a sense of sympathy for “those” who are hungry. Subconsciously, we feel it is their problem and not ours. This nonchalant attitude has become the bedrock on which the misconception of hunger is founded upon.

In the spirit of unity and camaraderie to ending hunger, Hon. Jimi Benson representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency in Lagos State played host to the Founder and CEO of FoodClique Bolajoko Fadipe during icare Food Bank monthly food distribution tagged “Apo Anu ” to over 500 vulnerable people in Ikorodu.

FoodClique Support Initiative is an NGO leading the fight against hunger while icare Food Bank seek to erase hunger through several initiatives to help people in need.  The Icare Foodbank gives sacks of non-perishable food to the vulnerable in our society i.e elderly, widows, unemployed, e.t.c and encourages the government to mobilize resource to fight hunger through its founder Hon Jimi Benson who is a Federal Lawmaker. It may interest you to know that the Icare Food Bank has through this program fed over 15,000 constituents.

As part of its ongoing effort to provide a high level of service to end hunger and raise awareness, FoodClique is proud to announce the launch of its new website. Still located at www.foodclique.org , the new site features a refreshed look, improved navigation, volunteer signup page, events and more. This was a strategic decision made by FoodClique as it continues to expand its digital capabilities and invest in advanced technology.