Hope Raisers Global Foundation renews nationwide call to put food on the tables of vulnerable Nigerian households
As Nigeria approaches another Christmas season, Hope Raisers Global Foundation (HRGF) is once again mobilising communities, partners, donors and well-meaning Nigerians for Project Christmas With Hope 2026, under the theme:
“Lighting Up Lives: A Christmas of Hope & Solidarity.”
The annual humanitarian initiative is designed to bring food, dignity and renewed hope to vulnerable households across Nigeria, particularly families experiencing poverty, displacement, disability, illness, unemployment and other circumstances that make the Christmas season difficult.
The need remains urgent. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that approximately 36.3 million Nigerians were estimated to face severe acute food insecurity during the June–August 2026 lean season, including about 2.1 million people facing Emergency levels and approximately 10,300 people in Catastrophe in Borno State.
The World Bank also reports that 69.6% of Nigerians were estimated to live below the lower-middle-income poverty line of US$4.20 per person per day in 2025, while poor households can spend as much as 70% of their income on food, leaving little room for other necessities.
Food prices continue to place pressure on households. FAO reported that Nigeria’s annual food inflation reached 20.3% in July 2026, while insecurity, climate shocks, high agricultural input costs and disruptions to farming and markets continue to affect food availability and purchasing power.
For HRGF, these figures represent real families—not statistics.
Voices from previous Christmas With Hope outreaches
“Since my husband was sick for a long time, I was at home with him and the children were not going to school. I don’t have any business, only farm work. I feel happy about the visit and appreciate the goodness of HRGF. I pray God opens many doors for them.”
— Grace Mika, FCT Recipient
“I am very happy because many of our women didn’t have hope for even a cup of rice this season, but with this we are grateful.”
— Tuna Usman, FCT Recipient
From Maiduguri came another deeply emotional testimony from a sick beneficiary:
“I have been in the hospital. What can I say? My family has no hope. Look at my condition. Seeing you people bring all these to us tells me that God has heard our prayers.”
In Taraba State, members of a community of people living with HIV expressed their gratitude:
“We are so happy that you people have come to us. We are people living with HIV and usually it is very difficult for us to be strong enough to work. With this, we feel encouraged. Thank you.”
A beneficiary living with disability in Edo State said:
“What more can we say but thank you for not victimising us? Living with disability is a big deal in Nigeria. But here you are, coming to locate us. We will eat well this Christmas.”
From relief to sustainable resilience.
This year, HRGF is up and about in preparation for Project Christmas With Hope 2026, with the ambition of reaching vulnerable households across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Foundation recognises that food distribution alone cannot permanently solve household poverty. Project Christmas With Hope is therefore evolving beyond seasonal relief towards sustainable food security, livelihood development and community resilience.
A major long-term ambition is to build a network of one million smallholder-farmer households, creating a pathway through which families can become producers as well as beneficiaries. By investing in small-scale agriculture, livelihoods and local food systems, HRGF hopes to contribute to a more sustainable model where vulnerable families can progressively move from dependence to productivity and dignity.
A message from the Chairperson
Mrs Olayinka Uadiale, PhD, Chairperson, Christmas With Hope, said:
“Christmas should remind us that hope is most meaningful when it reaches those who need it most. Project Christmas With Hope is not simply about giving food; it is about telling a vulnerable family that they are seen, valued and not forgotten. Our long-term vision is to build a sustainable community of one million smallholder-farmer households who can produce, earn and provide for their families with dignity. We invite individuals, organisations, businesses, government institutions and development partners to stand with us as we lift lives across Nigeria.”
HRGF is calling for
financial contributions, food items, agricultural support, partnerships, logistics assistance and corporate sponsorship to make Project Christmas With Hope 2026 a reality.
This Christmas, the Foundation believes that solidarity can become nourishment, nourishment can become hope, and hope can become the beginning of a new story.
Project Christmas With Hope 2026 — Lighting Up Lives: A Christmas of Hope & Solidarity.