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THE BRAND
HERITAGE D'AFRIQUE brand was created by our founder Aly Samabaly as a solution to close the nutrition gap for children in Africa, especially those involved in sports. This remarkable brand serves a dual purpose - to provide nutritious food for youth and their communities while also creating economic opportunities for women. He believes that when mothers can provide for their families, it benefits their own children and lifts up the entire community.
With HERITAGE D'AFRIQUE, we aim to partner with schools, sports programs, retailers, socially responsible companies, celebrities and governments to make these products accessible globally. 50% of proceeds will empower women entrepreneurs, education, and sports for children in Africa and beyond.
Powered by Be Own Sports Foundation, HERITAGE D'AFRIQUE focuses first on growing organic produce from untouched soil in Africa (starting in Congo DRC and Kenya), because proper nutrition is key for underprivileged youth to escape poverty and thrive in academics and athletics.
When asked about the brand name, our founder said he sees Africa as an untouched seed that will one day nourish the world. HERITAGE D'AFRIQUE grows pure, chemical-free food from seeds unaltered by modern practices - it's farming that's PURE & SIMPLE.
THE PROBLEM (WHAT)
Hunger remains a dire crisis globally. According to the UN World Food Program's live Hunger Map, 957 million people across 93 countries lack adequate nutrition. The Global Humanitarian Outlook projects 239 million will need urgent food aid and protection this year. In sub-Saharan Africa, 40% of children suffer from hunger.
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In South Asia, it's 39%. Each year, 3.2 million children under 5 die in sub-Saharan Africa - approximately half of all deaths worldwide in that age group. In 2020, 264.2 million people were undernourished in sub-Saharan Africa. A staggering 24.1% of the sub-Saharan population is undernourished, the highest rate globally.
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The number facing hunger worldwide has climbed from 811 million to over 957 million. With this bleak reality, how can we expect malnourished children to have the strength and health to actively engage in sports? Urgent action is needed to provide nutritious food so youth can thrive.
THE CHALLENGES (WHY)
Chronic hunger plagues much of Africa due to recurring droughts, conflict, instability, exploitative trade policies that undermine local agriculture, mismanaged food supplies, lack of food processing infrastructure, and corruption resulting in severe shortages. Limited use of yield-boosting technologies, over-reliance on rain-fed farming, inadequate irrigation systems, and the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated food insecurity. For decades, extreme poverty has gripped many nations, a trend poised to accelerate without intervention.
To shift course, solutions must address root causes like developing water systems for irrigation, building local industry to process/distribute food, fair trade rules, ending graft, and stability to enable growth. Tackling hunger requires a multipronged strategy focused on both immediate relief and long-term capacity building so local communities can cultivate and access sustainable food sources.
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THE SOLUTION (HOW)
Our founder believes the solution to African hunger lies in shifting from transactional to transformational partnerships. Transactional collaborations make fleeting impact, while transformational ones driven by humanity and care create lasting change. At HERITAGE D'AFRIQUE, we believe empowering women is key to solving hunger across Africa. We work with knowledgeable partners to understand the continent's current food systems - who produces, distributes and accesses nourishment.
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We recognize adult literacy's value in supply chains and actively promote it. Instead of dropping in aid, we provide targeted resources by collaborating with community leaders on the frontlines. They have invaluable knowledge we can learn from and support. For example, we assist farmers with tools to nourish the soil for healthy, sustainable crops.
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None of this progress is possible without strong partnerships at our core. Tackling complex issues requires a village working together. HERITAGE D'AFRIQUE and Be Own Sports Foundation are bonded by this communal spirit. Through basketball, soccer, and harvested seeds, we are addressing hunger child by child, bounce by bounce. By uniting our knowledge, resources and care, we can overcome.
