COVID-19: Nollywood Actor Desmond Elliot Partners With Crowdfunding Platform To Aid Health Workers

Nigerian actor Desmond Elliot has teamed up with reputable crowdfunding platform Giving.ng to lend his voice in support of health workers amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The actor (who is also a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly) shared a video on his Instagram page, saying that there is a need to take care of those catering to the needs of the sick.

Giving.ng established a crowdfunding campaign to support health workers who are at the frontline of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic a few weeks ago, and it is meant to take care of their hazard allowances as most of them in the country earn just N5,000 monthly.

The fund pays the health personnel N100,000 monthly and is governed by a diverse and multi-sectoral board led by Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, who is a leading public health practitioner.

Olapeju Ibekwe, Project Manager at Giving.ng, made the following statement:

Some of them [health workers] have not hugged their wives and children in the past 3 months just to protect their family from being infected. They definitely need our support. We are proud to partner with notable Nigerians like Desmond Elliot at this critical time for the benefit of frontline workers fighting the COVID-19 scourge. It is inspiring to know that there are people out there that still care. We are grateful for the partnership and look forward to more public figures standing up to be counted at this time.

We also want to use this opportunity to call on Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora, to step up and show their support by donating towards the welfare of our local frontline health workers. In the words of James Keller, “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”