#iAmSanta

Nigeria is ranked 98 ‎out of 107 countries in the 2020 Global Hunger Index (GHI), revealing there is a ‘serious’ level of hunger in the country. The GHI classifies hunger scores from 35.0 to 49.9 as ‘alarming’, while scores ranging from 20.0 to 34.9 are classified as ‘serious’. Hunger scores in the range of 10.0 and 19.9 are classified as ‘moderate’‎, while 9.9 is categorised as ‘low’ {International Center for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) featured news article of 20 October, 2020}. Nigeria has a score of 29.2, which is “serious and critical”.

Despite being one of the biggest producers of crude oil in the world, and also possessing large deposits of natural gas and other abundant economically viable mineral resources, Nigeria only ‎performed better than nine other countries out of the 107 nations whose data were calculated for the 2020 GHI scores.

Further, with the global pandemic, most states in Nigeria faced a lockdown which severely impacted economic activities and livelihood. With the current lockdown this yuletide season, indigent families will be greatly impacted.

Also, since 2012, Northeastern Nigeria has faced insecurity due to conflict with armed insurgent groups. Civilians have limited access to assistance, and food remains a major need in displacement settlements. Prolonged absence of food security, among other factors, exacerbate risks to life and property. Without aid coming to them, the hunger problem in this region could be disastrous. Governments, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and Faith Based Organisations (FBOs) and Philanthropies, etc. can help by giving out food items in their villages, local government and even the streets they live on to help reduce the hunger during yuletide season.

It is against the Global Hunger Index classification 2020 that FundELG Africa, in furtherance of Goal 17 of the SDGs (Partnerships and Collaboration) decided that in the execution of its annual #iAmSanta Project, it would collaborate with the C21FG/La Buena Vida Feed the Family Project Season 3 to feed at least 50,000 families in the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

This was also further based on the understanding and recognition of the empowerment, ultimate health and extensive marketing network of the C21FG/La Buena Vida Project, and its capacity to reach thousands of people through its network of offices and teams across the Federation within a very short time; as this would inevitably give FundELG Africa the required reach to support more families.

On Saturday, December 19, 2020, the “#iAmSanta/La Buena Vida – Feed the Family Project Season 3” was executed across the federation, reaching over 50,000 families. The number was more than we anticipated and we had to restock when the budgeted supplies for the estimated 50,000 families ran out.

With a statistical average of at least 4 members per family (excluding the excess number of people attended), the “#iAmSanta/La Buena Vida – Feed the Family Project Season 3” provided support to at the least 234,000 people including 100,000 children, 17,000 youths and 50,000 women).

The main Federal Capital; Territory (FCT) distribution Centre was Shalom Plaza, Joseph Gomwalk Street Behind MKK Plaza/NNPC Petrol Station, Gudu Abuja, FCT – Nigeria. Media presence at the epoch making event included the NTA, BEN TV London, AriseTV, and Silverbird TV, amongst others

The Feed the family project Season 3 is about giving back to the society, and leading the way by showing others how to reach out to people in any measure no matter how small it might seem. The support provided included food items such as bags of Rice, vegetables oil, spaghetti, tomatoes, salt, beverages, and medical attention/checks.