The Dangote Foundation – the global philanthropic arm of Dangote Industries Limited donated $1million to the government of the earthquake hit Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal as humanitarian aid and disaster relief for response and recovery efforts in Nepal.
“The Dangote Foundation donation builds upon our community intervention initiative and longstanding commitment to providing development assistance that alleviates pains of people around the world” said Mrs. Zouera Youssoufou, The Managing Director/CEO of the Foundation. “Through this donation we hope to support Nepal government’s emergency efforts in providing relief and life-saving priorities to the victims of the earthquakes that occurred in the country.”
It what would recorded as the worst quakes to hit the Himalayam nation in nearly a century, it would be recalled that two devastating earthquakes of magnitudes 7.8 and 7.3 hit the country on the 25th of April and 12th of May 2015, respectively causing a high number of deaths, injuries and destruction of over 600,000 homes.
The Chairman of Dangote Foundation, Mr. Aliko Dangote, in his message to the Prime Minister, conveyed his sympathy to the government and people of Nepal, assuring them of the Foundation’s support in rehabilitating the victims of the unprecedented tragedy.
Mr. Aliko Dangote said: “We join the rest of the world to express our sympathies over this unfortunate incident. We hope this donation will help alleviate the suffering of the Nepalese people who have been devastated by the earthquakes.”
Responding to this kind gesture, the Prime Minister expressed the gratitude of the people and Government of Nepal to Aliko Dangote and the Foundation, for their humanitarian support at this difficult moment in his country’s history.
The Dangote Foundation has been touching lives both within and outside the shores of Nigeria since its establishment in 1993, providing opportunities for social and economic transformation through investments and interventions that improve and promote health, education and broaden economic empowerment opportunities.
In September 2010, the Foundation made a similar donation of $2million through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), to assist survivors of flood that ravaged Pakistan. Through this donation, the Foundation extended its support to more than 325,000 children in need in that country.
Dangote Foundation spent about $5million as part of its intervention to combat the Ebola Virus Disease that affected four West African countries namely Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Nigeria, last year. In addition to these, the Foundation donated $16million to the Nigerian government to assist victims of flood that ravaged many states of the federation in 2011.
Aliko Dangote endowed the Foundation with $1.35billion in March 2014, to ensure that the Foundation, has secure and steady funding to carry out its mission as it significantly scales up its work both within and outside the shores of the country.