In September 2016, Access to Success received a call that would forever shape our relationship with a community on the outskirts of Benin City, Nigeria. The message was simple and heartbreaking. More than 2,500 women and children living in an Internally Displaced Persons camp had not eaten for three days.
The camp was home to families who had fled violence and insurgency in northern Nigeria. Many had traveled nearly 800 miles seeking safety after Boko Haram (a terrorist group that originated in Northeast Nigeria) attacks forced them from their homes and communities. They arrived in Benin City carrying little more than what they could hold in their hands. When food ran out, the camp residents did what they could to survive. We were told they had begun squeezing juice from unripe oranges. Yet even in the face of hunger, they chose to turn those days into a time of fasting and prayer, trusting that God would provide.
After prayer and deliberation, the A2S Board approved an emergency response. A few days later, our team loaded a truck with food and set off for a part of Benin City many of us had never visited before. As our truck approached the camp, something unexpected happened. We heard singing. The field was filled with worship and praise. The camp believed God had answered their prayers. What we encountered that day remains etched in our memories. We saw overcrowded rooms where hundreds of people shared spaces never intended to house so many. We saw children living in conditions most of us could scarcely imagine. We saw bowls containing only small portions of food with flies resting nearby.
Then came a moment none of us will ever forget. As bags of rice were being unloaded from the truck, a few grains spilled onto the ground. Children immediately rushed over and began carefully collecting them one by one. When we asked why, their answer stopped us in our tracks. “If we gather enough grains, it can become a meal for someone.” At that moment, poverty was no longer a statistic. It had a face. It had a voice. It had a name. That day marked the beginning of a journey between Access to Success and the IDP camp. Since then, A2S has helped provide food to the camp almost every month, ensuring families had access to one of life’s most basic necessities.
Yet over time, we began asking a different question. What would happen if the camp could produce its own food? Many of the residents were skilled farmers before violence forced them from their homes. They understood agriculture. They knew how to cultivate the land. What they lacked was access to resources, opportunity, and stability. As A2S has grown, we have become increasingly committed to helping communities move beyond dependence and toward sustainability. We never wanted to leave families like those in the IDP camp behind as we pursued that vision.
The need became even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Food supplies became harder to access. Resources slowed. The uncertainty facing vulnerable communities increased dramatically. Out of that challenge came an idea. Rather than simply providing food, what if we could help create a system that produced food, generated income, and restored dignity? Working alongside camp leadership, A2S developed a farm sustainability initiative. The vision was simple. Camp residents would manage the farm themselves. Workers would be compensated through the produce they harvested. Families could consume part of the harvest to improve food security. Surplus produce could be sold in local markets to generate income and support future growth.
Former A2S Scholar Jeffrey Iwuoroya, current A2S Scholar Destiny Elimigbe, and A2S U.S. intern Emily Hawkins helped bring the project to life – all under the guidance of the A2S Entrepreneur Empowerment Team. What began as an idea slowly became reality. Today, that reality is more important than ever. According to the World Food Programme, nearly 35 million Nigerians are experiencing food insecurity due to conflict, displacement, economic pressures, climate shocks, and disruptions to local food systems. For vulnerable communities across the country, access to food remains one of the most pressing challenges of our time.
For the families in this camp, the ability to produce their own food is not simply an agricultural project; it is a pathway toward resilience. Last week, our A2S Team Leads stepped away from their offices and organized a day of service at the camp. Together with camp residents, they spent the day harvesting produce from the farm. As they worked side by side in the fields, there was a powerful realization. Years ago, many of these same families were waiting and praying for food to arrive. Today, they were helping produce it. The contrast could not have been more striking. The fields represented far more than crops. They represented ownership. They represented opportunity. They represented the dignity that comes from participating in the solution rather than simply receiving it. For our team, the harvest served as a reminder of why Access to Success exists.
When people are hungry, they need food. When people are displaced, they need shelter. When communities face a crisis, they need immediate support. But lasting transformation happens when people are empowered to build something for themselves. The farm is helping mothers feed their children. It is creating opportunities for workers to benefit from their labor. It is generating produce that can be sold in local markets. Most importantly, it is helping a community that has endured immense hardship move toward greater self reliance. However, the work is not finished. The next phase will focus on expanding production, strengthening operations, and helping the farm scale its presence in local markets so it can create an even greater impact for the families who call the camp home. Nearly a decade ago, A2S responded to a community facing hunger. Today, we are witnessing that same community harvest hope.
And in a nation where millions continue to struggle with food insecurity, that may be one of the most important harvests of all.
