As the world prepares to mark the United Nations International Day of Care and Support on October 29, Lagos will take its place on the global stage as Caring Africa leads Nigeria’s campaign under the theme “Start With Care.”
To reshape the national conversation on the care economy, Caring Africa has unveiled nine vibrant voices as members of its Creative Care Council. This coalition of creators, health professionals, and media figures will champion the reimagination of care from the home front to the workplace as shared public responsibility rather than a private burden.
The council members are actor and creative entrepreneur, Ibrahim Suleiman; Registered nurse, nutritionist, and family wellness expert, Nancy Umeh; content creator, Folagade Banks; media personality and food entrepreneur, Jamila Lawal; culinary educator and content creator, The Kitchen Muse (Bukie Akinmade).
Others are: Pediatrician and mental health advocate, Dr. Ayodele Renner; Foodpreneur Chef T (Tomilola Adeyemo); content creator, Sisi Yemmie (Yemisi Sophie Odusanya); and media executive, Toyosi Etim-Effiong.
Together, they represent a cross-section of Nigeria’s creative, media, and wellness ecosystem each bringing a unique lens to the conversation around care as the foundation of strong families, productive workplaces, and thriving societies. Through storytelling, social campaigns, and thought leadership, the council will drive the #StartWithCare movement, positioning care as a central pillar of national development.
Across the globe, care remains the invisible engine of progress indispensable yet consistently undervalued. Women perform more than 75 percent of all unpaid care work, while millions of paid care workers, especially in developing nations, operate without recognition, protection, or fair compensation. In Nigeria, more than 70 percent of domestic and care workers function in the informal sector, with little to no legal safeguards.
Against this backdrop, Caring Africa will host a landmark event on Wednesday, October 29, at the Capital Club, Victoria Island, Lagos, to reinforce the value of care in national transformation.
The event will feature the premiere of a short documentary titled “Strong Families, Workplaces, Nations – Start With Care,” followed by the Caring Workplace Awards, which will recognise ten employers integrating care-focused policies into their business operations. There will also be a Celebration of Care Workers, honouring those whose hands and hearts sustain homes and communities across the country.
Speaking on the initiative, founder of Caring Africa and Convener of the #StartWithCare campaign, Blessing Adesiyan, said that this year’s theme calls for more than acknowledgement, it calls for investment and systemic action. “The UN urges governments, employers, and citizens to recognise, value, and invest in care systems that are fair, inclusive, and sustainable.
“Care is the invisible economy that keeps every other economy running. Yet, it remains the most undervalued. #StartWithCare is not just a campaign; it is a movement to reimagine care as shared responsibility. Strong nations begin with strong families, and strong families start with care.”
At its core, the #StartWithCare movement challenges the perception that care is a “soft” issue. Rather, it positions care as hard infrastructure an economic necessity that builds people, drives productivity, and strengthens national resilience. Without intentional investment in care from childcare and eldercare to paid leave and protections for domestic workers progress toward equality and economic inclusion will remain out of reach.
