Covid-19: Over 24,000 Lagosians to benefit from Oando employees initiative

By Peter Egwuau

The employees of Oando under the name tagged #HumansOfOando have identified that despite the financial contributions and efforts made by the public and private sector as well as Non-Governmental Agencies (NGOs) in feeding the less privileged as a result of the coronavirus, Covid-19 pandemic there is still a huge gap between those who are in dire need and those who are eventually reached and fed.

To this effect, the employees of Oando noted that COVID-19 brought home the realisation that every single individual who has the means, must play an active role in alleviating poverty in Nigeria.  Through, The Aggregator Platform (TAP) the #HumansOfOando stated that they aim to rally well-meaning individuals both locally and internationally as well as more corporates to make this a nationwide cause.

According to a statement from Oando, “Since going live at the end of March the #HumansOfOando alongside other donors, through the TAP website taptoreachall.org have raised over N25 million and signed up nine NGOs including Lagos Food Bank, Project Ark, Child Protection Network, Grocedy, Lekki Food Bank and Abraham’s Tent to name a few, with an intent to sign one more NGO by May 22.

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“With funding from TAP, these 9 implementing partners will feed over 24,000 Lagosians across 16 of the most deprived communities over a one month period.  As at Wednesday, May 20, 2020 about 21,000 people had already been fed with the balance 3,000 to be reached and fed by the end of May. “

Commending TAP during a food disbursement drive, Mrs.  Okoro, the Lagos Coordinator of Child Protection Network(CPN) said;“The people are hungry so feeding them gives us joy and we are very grateful to the employees of Oando for supporting us. At CPN, we’ve been feeding people from the onset of the lockdown. We’ve been going to different places, soliciting for donations for food for the people. We started with cooked food which we distributed to people in Oshodi, Ojuelegba, Ibeju-Lekki, Eti-Osa, Apapa, Somolu, Alimosho. So, we are grateful to the #HumansOfOando for collaborating with us to enable us serve even more people.”

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, a member of one of the impacted communities, Edatomola Arowojolu, expressed his appreciation on behalf of the community to the employees of Oando, the TAP platform, those who had donated and CPN for the disbursement of food, for their kind gesture to the residents and lauded the impact of the exercise, which according to him, was a huge success.

Mrs. AdekemiAdeyeye, Executive Director, Finance and Administration for Huffped thanked TAP for the donations which has enabled them feed over 400 people in the Majiudn-Awori community, Ikorodu, Lagos.A benefactor of the food donation in Majidun-Awori community, AgbadoOluwatosin, also thanked TAP and Huffped on behalf of nursing mothers and pregnant women in the community, for coming to their aid.

Vanguard