Economic challenges: I find it impossible not to assist Nigerians undergoing hardship − Okwuosa

Philanthropist and chairman of the Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation (SEOF), Emeka Okwuosa, has disclosed that he finds it impossible not to assist Nigerians who endure hardship without attempting to alleviate their sufferings.

He made this disclosure during the recent flagship Gala Night of the Foundation in Lagos, stating further that his parents ingrained in him the virtues of helping the underprivileged people and communities.

He further said that he has learned that turning a blind eye to an individual’s suffering is a failure in itself. According to him, this principle has guided him throughout his life and inspired him to establish the foundation.

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Okwuosa expressed sadness at the soaring unemployment rate that is pushing the youth into more vulnerable positions where survival becomes a daily struggle, and lamented that an estimated 20 million Nigerian children, aged between 6 and 18, are currently without access to education.

Okwuosa noted that in the foundation’s quest to address Nigeria’s challenges, SEOF has been impacting lives and communities in over 14 states across Nigeria; namely Anambra, Borno, Adamawa, Kaduna, Abuja (FCT), Kogi, Oyo, Ekiti, Edo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Delta, Imo, and Abia.

Speaking to the foundation’s contribution to alleviating poverty, Okwuosa disclosed that SEOF has awarded scholarships, prizes, and provided education tools to over 1,500 primary and secondary school students.

According to Okwuosa, about $217,939 has been deployed for healthcare intervention to cover 34 open-heart surgeries performed at the Dame Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital (DIOMH) in 2022; and over 566 beneficiaries were offered access to primary healthcare in the same year.

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Okwuosa disclosed that in 2024 the foundation plans to introduce initiatives such as the Women Enterprise Programme and the Agro Cluster Cooperative Programme that will help individuals and families improve their livelihood.

Vincent Ohaju, founder, Vincent Ohaju Obioma Memorial (VOOM) Foundation, stated collaboration and partnership are essential in addressing the challenges that Nigeria is facing and enjoined Nigerians and Africans to partner with the foundation in effecting positive change in communities and the country at large.