By Peace Udugba — The Daily Torch Media
From riverine communities accessible only by canoe to underserved settlements in Lagos and Ogun states, the Rural Food Bank Support Foundation is taking food, care and companionship to elderly Nigerians struggling with hunger, poverty and neglect.
For Ben Edem, chairman of the foundation, humanitarian work goes far beyond distributing food parcels. It is a personal mission shaped by the painful realities of senior citizens who are increasingly vulnerable to economic hardship and social isolation.
Each outreach brings him face-to-face with elderly men and women struggling to secure their next meal, many of whom have little or no reliable support from family members or the wider community.
The situation has become more challenging as rising food prices, deepening poverty and weakening family support systems leave many older Nigerians struggling to meet their basic needs.
The Hidden Crisis of Elderly Hunger
During outreach programmes across communities in Lagos and Ogun states, Edem encountered elderly people who, according to him, had gone months without receiving their pensions.
Others depended on children and grandchildren who were themselves battling financial difficulties.
For many of these senior citizens, hunger is only one aspect of their hardship. Loneliness, abandonment and inadequate access to healthcare have compounded their struggles.
Some live alone in deteriorating homes, with limited opportunities for social interaction and few people to turn to when they need assistance.
“When we go out to donate food items to old people, we are often so emotional and broken, seeing how so many of them are forgotten and abandoned,” Edem said.
The experiences, he explained, have strengthened his resolve to support vulnerable elderly Nigerians and restore a sense of dignity to their lives.
Foundation Takes Food Support Beyond Conventional Communities
What began as informal food donations has evolved into a more structured humanitarian initiative under the Rural Food Bank Support Foundation.
Its flagship programme, the Local Food Bank for the Elderly, seeks to provide food assistance and additional support to senior citizens who might otherwise be overlooked.
Guided by the mantra, “We Go Beyond Conventional Places,” the foundation operates in more than 30 communities, including Ayobo, Ikotun, Ejigbo, Ikeja, Badagry and Sango-Ota.
Its outreach efforts also extend to hard-to-reach riverine settlements, where volunteers transport food parcels by canoe to reach elderly residents who may have limited access to assistance.
According to the foundation, its interventions have supported more than 4,000 elderly people and over 1,000 dependent children through walk-in centres and direct community outreach programmes.
The foundation says beneficiaries are registered and monitored to encourage continuity of support rather than relying solely on occasional food distributions.
Why Food Donations Alone Are Not Enough
For Edem, addressing elderly hunger requires more than placing food on a doorstep. It also demands attention to beneficiaries’ health, emotional wellbeing, living conditions and ability to maintain their independence.
The foundation’s approach is built around four key areas of support.
Welfare monitoring: Regular visits and follow-ups help the foundation assess beneficiaries’ health, safety and living conditions.
Companionship: Dedicated visits provide opportunities for social interaction and help reduce loneliness among elderly people living alone.
Care referrals: Where necessary, the foundation links beneficiaries with medical and social support services.
Livelihood support: Selected beneficiaries receive small grants and resources intended to help them pursue income-generating activities and maintain a measure of financial independence.
The approach reflects the foundation’s belief that elderly welfare should encompass not only food security but also dignity, social inclusion and access to essential services.
Canadian Experience Shapes Sustainability Drive
In a bid to strengthen its operations and build a sustainable model, Edem recently undertook a learning and collaboration visit to a community food bank in Surrey, Canada.
The visit reinforced the importance of combining compassion with effective organisational structures, according to the foundation’s account of the experience.
For Edem, the lesson is that humanitarian initiatives must be organised in ways that allow them to serve beneficiaries consistently, measure their impact and attract long-term support.
He is consequently advocating a collaborative approach to elderly welfare, involving government agencies, private-sector organisations, civil society groups, development partners and local communities.
Such partnerships, he believes, can help expand food assistance, improve access to essential services and create more reliable support systems for vulnerable senior citizens.
A Call for Support
The Rural Food Bank Support Foundation is calling on individuals, corporate organisations and development partners to support its efforts to reach more elderly Nigerians facing hunger, neglect and social isolation.
The foundation welcomes volunteers, financial contributions and strategic partnerships that can strengthen its outreach programmes and extend assistance to underserved communities.
For a population whose contributions to families and society often span decades, the challenge is to ensure that old age does not become a period of hunger, loneliness and abandonment.
Through its food bank initiative and community-based interventions, the foundation is seeking to demonstrate that caring for elderly citizens is not merely an act of charity but a shared social responsibility.
As the initiative expands, its ultimate test will be its ability to sustain support, reach more vulnerable people and ensure that the elderly receive not just food, but the care and dignity they deserve.
