From now on, the Congolese musician and artist will dedicate part of his time and take action for their cause, particularly for those suffering from food insecurity and children who lack access to education.

Being a native of Goma, in North Kivu, he has lived through and faced hunger and insecurity. He says he now wants to leverage his fame and influence to serve his society.

"Knowing all these issues, coming from a very neglected background, having lived through this situation of constant famine; I thought it was a good cause. It’s going to be an additional role that I will play to amplify the message to everyone, the authorities, the youth, the funders," he emphasized.

And he specified: "I grew up normalizing the fact of being hungry while going to school. Yet, it's not normal. When you are hungry, you can't push your imagination further. We really have to invest in humans, put our efforts where it's important. And the beginning is to be in good shape, to eat well."

The WFP looks forward to leveraging part of Innoss’B's influence with the youth in this partnership to raise awareness about the importance of healthy eating, school meals, and strategies to combat malnutrition in the country.

"We are delighted to partner with Innoss'B and harness the power of music to promote the remarkable potential of the DRC and its people. By joining forces, we can inspire positive actions and meet the urgent challenges of malnutrition and food insecurity," Peter Musoko, Country Director of the WFP in DRC, stated.

Innoss'B also shares a personal connection with the Executive Director of the WFP, Cindy McCain, whom she met when she was 13 years old, during her humanitarian tour in Goma in 2011 and 2012.

They have also collaborated on various charitable initiatives and fundraising in the United States to support the humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC.

Thus, the Congolese singer has gained international recognition as a pioneer in the music industry thanks to his unique blend of Afrobeat and traditional Congolese rhythms, and by taking such significant social actions, with his foundation that came to the aid of displaced people during the Nyiragongo volcano eruption. Not to mention the act he performed by getting vaccinated against Covid-19 in public, as part of the anti-Covid campaign initiated by the US embassy in DRC.

For her part, Executive Director McCain spoke of their first meeting 14 years ago in Goma, "I am very proud to see all that he has accomplished as an artist and humanitarian. I am excited to welcome him to the WFP team. With Innoss’B on board, we can have a real impact in the fight against hunger and malnutrition in DRC," she expressed enthusiastically.

The World Food Programme again sounded the alarm about the catastrophic situation in Eastern DRC on Friday, March 22. The UN food agency struggles to feed those most in need because, as can be read in the statement, "humanitarian funding is not keeping up."

In its needs, the WFP says it aims to obtain $548.5 million to continue its operations in DRC. If such an amount is not immediately available, the WFP urgently needs at least $425 million for the next six months in Eastern DRC to assist the most destitute people.

The Congolese government and the humanitarian community launched an appeal on February 20 to mobilize $2.6 billion to finance the 2024 humanitarian response plan to provide vital assistance and protection services to 8.7 million people whose survival largely depends on urgent aid.

In the DRC, the WFP works alongside the government on the issue of food, even in conflict zones. According to their figures, more than 1.7 million women and young girls who are pregnant or breastfeeding suffer from acute malnutrition, which endangers their lives and those of their children. The number of people, including women, in need of food assistance is expected to rise from 6.4 million to 8.4 million by 2024 in the DRC, according to this global institution.

Gisèle Mbuyi