The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) have formalised a significant partnership aimed at tackling hunger among school-age children across Africa.
They signed a Letter of Intent on Monday to establish the End School-Age Hunger Fund, which includes an initial pledge of US$50 million from CIFF to support universal school feeding programmes throughout the continent.
The agreement was made during a high-level roundtable in New York co-hosted by the AfDB, the Aliko Dangote Foundation, CIFF and the Rockefeller Foundation.
The event, titled “Leveraging the Strengths and Capital of Bank and Philanthropies for a Prosperous, Inclusive, and Resilient Africa,” brought together influential figures in development finance and philanthropy, including King Letsie III of Lesotho and champions from the African Union and African Leaders for Nutrition.
Participants at the event emphasised the urgent need for innovative models to accelerate progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in the area of school feeding programmes.
Research shows that for every dollar invested in these programmes, there is a return of nine dollars in improved health, educational outcomes and economic productivity. These initiatives not only provide essential nourishment but also serve as vital tools for social protection and economic growth.
King Letsie III called on the AfDB and philanthropists to envision a future that extended beyond immediate goals.
“We aim to reach 10 million vulnerable children in 10 pilot countries by 2030. But let us see this as just the beginning,” he said.
“Let every idea shared, every partnership formed and every commitment made today be a stepping stone towards a fully nourished, educated and empowered Africa.”
AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina highlighted the crucial role of philanthropy in enhancing Africa’s development.
He encouraged philanthropic organisations to consider becoming non-state contributors to the African Development Fund and to invest in the bank’s newly launched hybrid capital.
Others who attended the event included CIFF founder and chairperson Christopher Hohn, Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, African Union commissioner for health, humanitarian affairs and social development Minata Samate-Cessouma and Rockefeller Foundation senior vice president Roy Steiner.
JN/APA