Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R (Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation) and Somachi Chris-Asoluka (CEO, Tony Elumelu Foundation) recently hosted David Stevenson (Country Director, the United Nations World Food Programme).
The meeting explored partnership opportunities between both organisations to address food security and champion zero hunger across Nigeria.
The United Nations World Food Programme is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and the world’s largest humanitarian organisation, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
The WFP delegation commended the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) for its impact on the economic empowerment of young African Entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries.
To date, TEF has disbursed US$100,000,000 directly into the hands of young African entrepreneurs, who have, in turn, created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs, contributing significantly to Africa’s economic growth and development. The Foundation has also provided capacity building support, advisory services, and market linkages to over 1.5 million Africans through its digital entrepreneurship-support platform, TEFConnect.
In reaction to the recent deluge across Borno State, the WFP has swiftly set up in the region, providing emergency food assistance to communities affected by massive flooding that has displaced over 230,000 people in the northeast Nigerian state.
Said Stevenson: “Maiduguri is facing a crisis within a crisis, with conflict, record food price inflation and now floods displacing hundreds of thousands of people, most of whom were already cut off from their farms.”