Project Nourish: RuffyEdwards Initiative Takes Food Support to Public School Pupils in Ibadan

The RuffyEdwards Empowerment Initiative has extended its humanitarian outreach to public schools in Ibadan, providing food support to pupils of St. James’s Primary School, Okebola, through its flagship programme, Project Nourish Food Bank.

The outreach, held on Wednesday, saw hundreds of pupils receive essential food items, including rice, garri, spaghetti, semolina, vegetable oil and other staple provisions to support their families.

The intervention is part of the Initiative’s broader effort to address the growing yet often overlooked challenge of hunger among school children, particularly those in underserved communities.

For many children, access to regular and nutritious meals remains uncertain. Beyond its impact on their physical wellbeing, food insecurity can affect concentration, classroom participation and overall academic performance.

Speaking during the outreach, the Founder of the RuffyEdwards Empowerment Initiative, Princess Adedolapo Oni, explained that Project Nourish was created to go beyond simply distributing food.

“This is about restoring dignity, giving hope and creating an environment where children can truly focus on their education without the distraction of hunger,” she said.

She noted that Project Nourish Food Bank is gradually growing into a community-driven movement focused on bridging the gap between education and basic nutrition, ensuring that no child is disadvantaged in school because of a lack of food.

Oni also expressed appreciation to sponsors, partners and supporters whose contributions have helped sustain the programme and expand its reach to vulnerable families and communities.

According to her, the outreach at St. James’s Primary School is one of several planned interventions, with the Initiative working towards extending food support to more schools and communities in the coming months.

The exercise was met with excitement among the pupils, many of whom returned home with food supplies for their families. Organisers described the response as a powerful reminder of the difference that collective community support can make.

Stakeholders at the event also emphasised the importance of addressing hunger at the grassroots level, noting that improved access to food is essential to creating an environment where children can learn, grow and thrive.

As Project Nourish continues to expand, the RuffyEdwards Empowerment Initiative remains committed to making hunger relief a pathway to hope, dignity and opportunity—one child, one family and one school at a time.