International Widows Day 2016
We celebrated IWD 2016 on Thursday 23rd June with over 500 attendees. During last years’ celebration, The Grand Matron and First Lady of Lagos State promised to empower 7 widows in the bread business. However, they have not commenced the business due to mobility challenges.
Enterprise Development & Skills Acquisition Training
The Annual capacity building & skills acquisition program held between 10-12 October 2016, with over 300 participants. The participants were empowered with vocational skills which has enabled them to become financially independent. We have already started planning towards the one for this year coming up on 4th October 2017. We welcome everyone who wants to learn a vocational skill or sharpen your existing skill to plan to attend.
RoSF Christmas Party and Widows Exhibition
Our Christmas Party was celebrated on 9th December 2016. It was a time to felicitate with our widows, their children and orphans. During last years’ party, we also had an exhibition session where the products of widows, who had gone through our vocational training programs, were displayed and almost all their products were sold out. The fashion designers, milliners, confectionary caterers, jewellers, accessory manufacturers and tie and dye producers were encouraged with patronage by guests.
The Founders award for the top Three Students also held on the same day and the overall best graduating Student, Mr. Olawale Mabadeje – an orphan, was awarded a Master’s Degree Scholarship.
We also shared the joy of the season with six orphanage homes in Lagos, where we delivered our annual Christmas gifts and cash donations.
RoSF Stakeholders Meeting
We had a stakeholders meeting on 8th March 2017, between the beneficiaries of the Foundation and members of the Board of Trustees to discuss other ways the foundation can assist them to achieve their dreams.
The discussions bordered on increasing their employability skills and chances at being successful entrepreneurs. At the end of the meeting, it was decided that the Foundation would organise career development and capacity building programmes so that they can become useful tools to themselves and the society.
The RoSF Youth Empowerment Program (RoYEP)
The inaugural RosF Youth Empowerment Program (RoYEP) held on the 29th of April 2017, with over 200 participants in attendance. We had volunteer facilitators come to teach on career specific programs that will enable them to compete favourably in the workplace. This program will now be held twice a year. We believe that by the end of this year, we will be able to give a report of the impact of the program.
The RoSF Women Empowerment Program (RoWEP)
RoWEP is our regular program structured to provide business and life support services to widows who are the principal providers for their families. We deliver on this by proving financial, educational, vocational and entrepreneurial support to our beneficiaries. Our aim is to help them lead a life they will be proud of to raise their heads and shoulders high among their peers. We hope to report their successes in the next edition of our newsletter.
The RoSF Micro Credit Scheme
In the last eight months, we have empowered over 100 widows with their second or third interest free loans, having repaid their initial loans. To date, over 900 widows have been given interest free loans with flexible repayment plans to help them start, expand or sustain their businesses. This has helped to bring economic stability to their lives.
RoSF Agric- Business Scheme (RoABS)
Our Agric Business Scheme (RoABS) is specially designed to assist widows working in the agricultural sector through the provision of finance and training as support for sustainable livelihood through farming.
RoSF Welfare Scheme (RoWS)
Through our welfare scheme, we provide monthly stipends for our inactive aged widows and our orphans. We also financially assist our beneficiaries during unforeseen incidents. In the last 6 months, we have provided support for 9 widows whose shops or homes were either destroyed by fire or demolition.
