Rose of Sharon who first opened their doors to widows and orphanages exactly a decade ago on the 23rd of May, 2008 is celebrating their 10th anniversary.
The Rose of Sharon foundation was founded by Mrs Folorunso Alakija to guarantee the financial independence & educational opportunities for widows & orphans through schemes & programmes that assure greater self-esteem & ease of socio-economic integration. The foundation hasn’t just stopped there, just last year, it launched a youth empowerment scheme which trained over 100 youth enabling them to become part of the country’s working class.
The foundation also boasts several educational, mentorship and skills acquisition programs for the widows. Over the years, it has managed to empower thousands of widows who are now able to function without needing assistance from the foundation.
A journey that started with three (3) widows on 23rd May, 2008, has culminated into a network of almost a thousand widows today. Since inception, RoSF has empowered 970 widows – 11 of whom are in university, awarded scholarships to 1,366 widow’s children and 72 orphans. The loans to widows are interest-free and the scholarships have no conditions attached. It has also provided accommodation for residential/business purposes for 82 widows.
As Rose of Sharon turns 10 today, we celebrate the truly altruistic nature of her founder, Mrs Folorunso Alakija in her generosity towards the disadvantaged as well as the board of trustees and team members who have kept this machine fueled.
Mrs Elizabeth Njoku, a member of ROSF, had this to say about the foundation…
“Today two of my kids are in university. One is in final year and the other is in her 2nd year. Mrs Alakija is a God-send. What my family, in-laws, pastors could not do, she’s done. I have taken several interest-free loans, i just took my third one. She does not discriminate not even based on ethnicity. I want to thank her because I am amazed when I look back and see how far I’ve come.”
Her testimonial just about rounds it up. Truly, this is a cause worth celebrating and we celebrate the Rose of Sharon Foundation for creating social impact nationwide.