Country of Residence
Nigeria
Age
20
Project title
Ultra Processed Foods Awareness Initiative
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
I educate Nigerians on how to recognise ultra-processed foods and make informed choices, using simple videos and visuals that have already reached about 4,000 people, and I am now planning to expanding into in-person community sessions.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
https://www.instagram.com/nour_ishbyife?mdxt=MXI2OXgzaGxoMWR5ag%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Project Category
My project is an existing project that I started
Project Stage
Pilot-Stage (We’ve tried an activity or two)
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
As a Human Nutrition and Dietetics student, I kept seeing nutrition claims online that were false or came from no verifiable source. I was learning the real science in class, and I realised social media was the easiest way to share it. So I started NourishByIfe to educate people with accurate, evidence-based nutrition content. My ultra-processed food project began as my Millennium Campus Fellowship project. Partway through, I realised the fellowship's timeframe was not enough to reach many people. That was my "Aha!" moment: the idea worked, but it deserved more than a deadline. So I decided to continue it fully beyond the fellowship. I care about this because ultra-processed foods are linked to many non-communicable diseases, and in my course I learned that prevention is the best medicine. If I can teach people to identify these foods, eat them moderately and choose more intentionally, I am helping prevent disease before it starts. I focus on young people, because habits formed early follow them into adulthood and get passed on to their children. That is how change continues across generations. For now, I am focused on Nigeria, and I am excited to see how far it can grow.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
The problem I am trying to solve is a lack of awareness. Many people don't realise how closely much of today's sickness is linked to what we eat. Ultra-processed foods are strongly linked to non-communicable diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, yet most people can't tell which foods are ultra-processed or how often is too often. That makes them more vulnerable to these diseases without knowing why. There is also a social side to the problem. In many places, ultra-processed foods are seen as a lifestyle choice or a symbol of class, as if eating them shows you are doing well. That is another form of ignorance. Not all processed food is harmful, and some fortified products can be beneficial. The problem starts when these foods become a status symbol, are eaten constantly without thought, and nobody explains the risks. This matters to me because I study nutrition and I see how much of this is preventable. Many people simply never had the information. When clear, trustworthy knowledge is in their hands, they use it, and it becomes easier to make better choices and improve their health. That is why I do this work.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
My solution is the Ultra-Processed Food Awareness Initiative. I create nutrition content that teaches people how to recognise ultra-processed foods, and how to work it out from the ingredients list alone. Manufacturers often use technical jargon on labels, so many people can't tell that a product is ultra-processed. I break that language down into plain terms. Instead of telling people what to avoid, I show them how to read an ingredients list and spot the warning signs themselves, so they can make that judgement every time they shop or eat. I do this through my nutrition platform, NourishByIfe, on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, the platforms where young people already spend their time. The content comes in different formats: • Videos where I speak on camera and explain a concept step by step • Carousel posts that walk through one idea slide by slide • Infographics that make ingredients and labels easy to understand at a glance I also write longer pieces on LinkedIn. Each piece is based on verifiable nutrition evidence, which sets it apart from the unsourced claims circulating online. The difference is practical. Someone who can decode a label can make a better choice at every purchase, and that builds habits they carry into adulthood and pass on to their children. It also supports the prevention of non-communicable diseases linked to ultra-processed foods. What began as my Millennium Campus Fellowship project is something I am committed to continuing beyond the fellowship.
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
So far, my ultra-processed food content has reached about 4,000 people, based on the views and reach counts on my videos. It includes a video guide on how to recognise ultra-processed foods, as well as carousels and infographics on NourishByIfe. This is an early-stage project, so I see this reach as proof that there is real interest in clear, trustworthy nutrition information. Reach is only the first step. The impact I want is a change in what people do. I want young people to be able to look at an ingredients list, recognise an ultra-processed food and decide how often to eat it. Over time, that means fewer people eating these foods by default and a better chance of preventing diet-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. I think it will work because the content is simple, evidence-based and shared where young people already are. As I continue the project beyond my fellowship, I will track engagement, saves and shares, and I plan to [add a concrete way to measure learning, e.g. a short quiz or poll after posts], so I can show what people have learned, not just how many saw it.
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
I'm not claiming to have invented something new. Content about nutrition and ultra-processed foods already exists. What makes my project different is how simply I explain it, and who I explain it to. It's made simple for anyone. I break nutrition down so that someone who never studied it can follow it easily. No background in nutrition is needed. If a person can read, they can learn to spot an ultra-processed food. It teaches a skill, not a list. Most content tells people which foods are "good" or "bad." I teach people how to read an ingredients list and work out for themselves whether a food is ultra-processed. That skill works on any product, including ones I have never covered. It replaces fear with judgement. Instead of scaring people, I give them the understanding to decide how often is too often, so they can make informed choices rather than follow rules blindly. It's made for young Nigerians, by one of them. I am a university student, so I am part of a student community and have direct access to more young people. I can talk to them naturally, in the way they actually communicate, using the platforms they already use. It is moving offline. Alongside my online content, I plan to run physical activities with students, because reaching people face to face is felt more deeply than online content alone. Online content gives me reach, and in-person engagement can help it stick.
How many people are on your team?
1
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
It is just me for now although I plan to get a team when I expand the initiative into physical meetings.
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Months 1-3: Strengthen the foundation. I will continue the project beyond my fellowship by publishing a consistent series on NourishByIfe that teaches people to read ingredients lists and spot ultra-processed foods. I will also gather feedback from followers to learn which formats help them most. Months 4-8: Go offline. I will run physical awareness sessions with students on campus, such as talks and simple label-reading activities, because face-to-face engagement is felt more deeply than online content. Months 9-12: Measure and expand. I will check how well people understood the lessons, for example with a short quiz or poll at sessions, and use the results to improve. I will also turn the best content into a simple, free label-reading guide that other students can share and reuse. If seed funding is awarded, it will go toward printing materials for sessions, covering event costs, organizing outreaches and producing better content. My focus for now remains Nigeria, and I will let results guide how far it grows.
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
to grow the project by bringing in fellow students in my own course, Human Nutrition and Dietetics. They already understand the basics, so they can explain ultra-processed foods to others clearly and confidently, without needing long training. As future health professionals, they also know that sharing this knowledge is part of the responsibility of working in health, and that it will help people in the long run. That makes it easier to invite them in. Each person who joins will teach others, whether through conversations, sharing the content, or helping me create it. They will also encourage their friends, classmates and communities to learn about the problem, so the circle keeps widening. In this way, the project grows from one person into a movement that more people want to be part of. I am also reaching people directly. My content has reached about 4,000 people on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, and as a university student I have easy access to a large community of young people to engage in person.
