L-R: Adedolapo Lufadeju, national coordinator/country director of the Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria programme; Holger Knaack, Rotary Foundation chairman and past Rotary International president; Suzanne, his wife; and Ijeoma Okoro, Rotary Foundation trustee, at the maternal and reproductive health review meeting in Abuja on Monday
The Rotary Foundation has announced the expansion of its ‘together for healthy families in Nigeria’ programme.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday after an interactive session with the Rotary action group for reproductive, maternal and child health (Rotary-RMCH), Holger Knaack, chairman of the Foundation, said the initiative remains one of the humanitarian organisation’s most transformative programmes in Africa.
Knaack, who attended the session with his wife, Suzanne, expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded under the initiative, noting that it has contributed to a notable reduction in maternal and child deaths across target communities.
“What we are seeing here is the result of more than 25 years of hard work and collaboration among Rotarians, the Rotary Foundation, volunteers, and government health officials,” he said.
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“Together, we have achieved a significant reduction in maternal and child mortality. That is the true impact of partnership.”
He said Rotary’s development model focuses on implementing large-scale and measurable projects designed to create lasting change.
“Our goal is always impact. It’s not just about doing good but about doing the right thing and being able to measure it. Bigger projects have greater, measurable results,” he said.
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Knaack explained that the programme, initially valued at $2 million, has since attracted additional international support and investment.
“Through partnerships with other countries such as Germany, we have raised about $2.8 million, bringing the total investment to nearly $5 million,” he said.
“We are also proud that the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation has pledged another $5 million over the next few years to sustain this success.”
Ijeoma Okoro, trustee of the Rotary Foundation, described the programme as a significant milestone for Nigeria, noting that it is only the second programme of scale approved globally by the organisation.
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“I’m happy it came to Nigeria, and that we hit the ground running. We’re already recording successes in maternal and childcare,” Okoro said.
“Most importantly, the programme has attracted a scaling partner, which will help us expand beyond the initial four pilot locations.
“The next phase has been mapped out, and we’re ready to extend to other states.”
