Rose of Sharon which first opened its doors to widows and orphanages exactly a decade ago on the 23rd of May, 2008 is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
The Rose of Sharon foundation was founded by Mrs. Folorunso Alakija to guarantee the financial independence and educational opportunities for widows and orphans through schemes and programmes that assure greater self-esteem and 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 boosts 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.
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