Africa's Richest Woman Folorunsho Alakija Adopts 98 Orphans

A business tycoon and founder of Rose of Sharon Foundation, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija,  said her foundation has adopted 98 orphans, offered scholarships to 1,366 widows’ children and empowered over 3,500 widows with vocational skills in the last 10 years of its existence.

Alakija, who is the chief executive officer of Famfa Petroleum, also disclosed that over 1,000 widows have so far been granted interest free loans, accommodation for residential and business purposes for 82 widows since past 10 years of creation Rose of Sharon, an non-governmental organization with a mandate to alleviate widows’ plight by providing financial independence and educational opportunities to tertiary levels or vocational training as the need arises.

Speaking at the foundation 10 years anniversary in Lagos where over 350 widows were offered grants and vocational tools at the weekend, Alakija said through the foundation many tears have been wiped away while many sorrow has been transformed into laughter as inferiority has changed to confidence, poverty has been transformed into economic independence and many children taken off the streets into the classrooms.

Wife of Lagos State governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, who lamented the conditions of average widows in the country, stressed that Nigerian widows often face huge burden and challenge which they cannot handle alone without assistance from somewhere.

“This is what Rose of Sharon have been doing to wipe off tears and transformed lives since past 10 years”, she said.

She advised them to set their priorities right and pursue the most important ones.

Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke on the gesture, thanked Mrs Alakija for bringing the best out of them.

Mrs Kehinde Adewale, who lost his husband through a motor accident seven years ago, said she was awarded a N30,000 loan and also got her daughter  a scholarship.

Also, Mrs Memunat Mohammed Abiodun, who lost her husband in 2009, was empowered in 2010, got full scholarship for her two sons, one in SS3 and the other in university. She said she had got interest free loans twice.

CKN NEWS

Chris Kehinde Nwandu is the Editor In Chief of CKNNEWS || He is a Law graduate and an Alumnus of Lagos State University, Lead City University Ibadan and Nigerian Institute Of Journalism || With over 2 decades practice in Journalism, PR and Advertising, he is a member of several Professional bodies within and outside Nigeria || Member: Institute Of Chartered Arbitrators ( UK ) || Member : Institute of Chartered Mediators And Conciliation || Member : Nigerian Institute Of Public Relations || Member : Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria || Fellow : Institute of Personality Development And Customer Relationship Management || Member and Chairman Board Of Trustees: Guild Of Professional Bloggers of Nigeria

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