HANEY FELLOWSHIP
Feeding the most vulnerable Nigerians The Haney Fellowship was established
These realities have persisted for many years, but
in 1998 by William “Bill” Haney, III
have been further worsened by the economic and health
‘80, in honor of his father, the late
shocks and food shortages related to the COVID-19
William Haney, Jr., who lived and
pandemic. This is where non-profit organizations like
worked at Portsmouth Abbey School
Lagos Food Bank come in. It was founded in 2015 by
from 1968 to 1991 as a chemistry
Mr. Michael A. Sunbola, motivated by his own child-
teacher, houseparent and golf coach.
hood experiences. As the third child in a family of five
This creative and generous fund was
children, his parents did not have a steady means of in-
established to provide Fifth Form
come. According to Michael, “most times, I ate one meal
students with a unique educational experience during the
per day, going to school on an empty stomach, and went
summer before their Sixth-Form year.
to bed regularly without food. We started fending for
Students submit proposals that include a statement of purpose, a description of the program that the applicant wishes to pursue, and a documented estimate of costs. Students focus their plans on a course of study or travel/work experience that significantly furthers an existing academic interest or allows for the pursuit of a specialized opportunity. Udenna Nwuneli ’21 applied for a Haney Fellowship early in his Fifth-Form year, before the world was set on edge by the global pandemic. His original plan to cover the Olympic Games in Japan was scrapped when
ourselves at a tender age selling nylon bags at a nearby market to get food. If we failed to make sales, we would stroll into a nearby farm to pick fruits that fell from the tree.” Even during holidays like Christmas, food was not readily available, and Michael and his siblings were compelled to depend on their neighbors. These experiences motivated Michael to devote his life to helping vulnerable people faced with food insecurity, especially mothers and children.
the games were postponed, so Udenna, intent on spending his summer engaged in a worthwhile endeavor, resubmitted a proposal to work with the Lagos Food Bank, an organization where he has volunteered since he was 13 years old. The following, written by Udenna for Business Day, a daily newspaper based in Lagos, is his account of his work with the Food Bank.
According to the United Nations, Nigeria has a poverty rate of 42.6%. Furthermore, the country ranks 93 out of 117 in the Global Hunger Index. The percentage of the population covered by Social Protection support is
Michael at an outreach event pre-COVID-19
only 5.2%. This means that many families struggle to
Operating in a megacity with millions of food-insecure
make ends meet, and the most vulnerable are faced with
people is not an easy feat; as a result, Lagos Food Bank
food insecurity and malnutrition, leading to many pre-
has carved out its niche. First, the nonprofit organiza-
mature deaths of children and the elderly.
tion attracts volunteers, individual and corporate part-
summer Alumni BULLETIN 2020
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