TAP said in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos that it was able to achieve the feat through the support of 11 implementing partners.

TAP is a unique initiative conceived and powered by the employees of Oando Plc (also known as the #HumansofOando).

It was created at the peak of COVID-19 in April 2020, as a short-term intervention to alleviate the rising rate of hunger aggravated by the pandemic in Nigeria.

According to the statement, TAP has impacted a total of 30 communities in Lagos State.

“Today, two years since its inception, TAP has successfully raised over N61 million and with the support of 11 implementing partners, has positively impacted 36,375 individuals in 7,272 households across 30 communities in Lagos,” it said.

It said that the employees of Oando identified that in spite of the financial contributions and efforts made by the public and private sector as well as non-governmental agencies in feeding the less privileged, there was still a huge gap in the country.

The statement noted that there was a huge gap between those who were in dire need and those who were eventually reached and fed.

It said that the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that the poverty crisis cannot be solved by the Nigerian government alone.

“COVID-19 brought home the realisation that every single individual who has the means, must play an active role in alleviating poverty in Nigeria,” it said.

It said that TAP had evolved from a short-term feeding programme to include empowerment through its Feed to Empower initiative in the past year.

“The goal is to transition the most vulnerable amongst us from a place of need to one where they can provide for themselves.

“Through its Implementing Partners, HUFFPED & JAKINS, and over a six-month period, TAP ensured that those undergoing empowerment training, as well as their families never went a day without food.

“TAP collaborated with DashMe Foundation, a charity, that resells fairly used items donated by well-meaning individuals and organisations.

“Through the resell of fairly used items donated by the HumansOfOando DashMe Foundation it was able to raise the sum of N1,000,000 which contributed to one of TAP’s Feed to Empower initiatives,” the statement said.

TAP said that it also partnered with Gladys Bamiro (GB) Foundation to make some critical interventions at Orile-Igamu.

The statement said that to mark its second anniversary, the #HuamsnofOando went beyond financing the feeding programme to actively participating in a food drive.

Commenting on the anniversary outreach, an Oando Employee, Ibukun Opeodu, Investor Relations Manager, Oando Plc said it unacceptable for people to be hungry.

“In a world of abundant wealth and resources, where enough food is produced to feed everyone on the planet, it is unacceptable that millions of people continue to suffer from hunger.

“I’m proud of all the Humans of Oando for driving this initiative into its second year and I look forward to celebrating even more years of impacting lives.

“The hope is that other well-meaning Nigerians take a cue from this initiative and together we can end hunger,” Opeodu said.