For corporate lawyer and philanthropist, Dr Siju Iluyomade, her efforts to empower the less privileged and support the effort of government in every area of endeavour have been acclaimed to be one of the most outstanding among those who follow the same passion as hers. Regardless of religion, tribe, or ethnicity, she has continued to give her all to better the lives of many, using her Arise Women Foundation as a vehicle to intervene in so many areas of human needs. This trait of hers, many agreed, resonated in the birth of the non-government organisation (NGO). Not only that, Siju, as she’s fondly called, is known to have nurtured charitable hopes and determination to help women efficiently thrive in life. She nurses a dream to make sure her foundation affects every part of human life globally in terms of health, housing, education, empowerment, farming and many more.
In the last 15 years, Siju, who will clock 59 on Sunday January 8, through her foundation, has achieved so much by putting structures like hospitals, school buildings, computerized libraries, and boreholes in many communities in Abuja, Ondo, Imo, Kebbi and Lagos to mention a few. Through her humanitarian work, she has also branded a food basket called ‘Arise Pink Bucket’ with contents that include food items like rice, semovita, tomato paste, and groundnut oil distributed to every local government across Nigeria. During the last Arise Women Conference held in October 2022 at the Trinity Towers of RCCG City of David in Victoria Island, Lagos, no fewer than 10,000 beneficiaries went home with the loaded food basket. The hospital built by her in Kabusa, a suburb of Abuja for the less privileged, has continued to give free services to people in that community with several success stories in operations. Meanwhile, as she clocks 59 tomorrow, a thanksgiving will be held in her honour at the Trinity Towers where thousands of individuals will also be empowered under the auspices of the Arise Women brand.