By Damiete Braide
In the spirit of the Christmas season, a Lagos-based non-governmental organisation, Rachael Okeke-Ozzoude Foundation (ROOF), in collaboration with Henry Chekwube Okafor, aka Ike Jerusalem, chief executive officer, Multiple Hems World Accessories, has donated food and clothing to over 500 widows and children.
In line with the theme “Roofing lives with smiles,” items donated included toiletries, bags of rice, noodles, detergent, biscuits, drinks, and table water. The materials were donated to widows, Wesley School for the Deaf, Okota, Lagos, Mawumadoka Orphans and Less Privileged Home/School, Badagry, and So Said Charity Homes, Okota.
Presenting the items, founder of ROOF, Ifeoma Okeke, said it was the foundation’s 24th anniversary and it was supported by Henry Chekwube Okafor. According to her, the aim of donating the items to the beneficiaries was to put smiles on their faces during the Yuletide.
Ifeoma, a filmmaker, said one does not need to be rich to give but could give what you have to help the underprivileged.
She said: “I thank all my colleagues in Nollywood that have come to support me in their own little way. I believe God is using us as his hands to reach out to the needy. This is timely because we need to do it to ensure that we care for those who need help.
“I am optimistic that, next year, the foundation will reach out to more people. We should learn to give because an open hand can also receive, if you hand is closed, you cannot receive.”
In his welcome address, Ambassador Ike Jerusalem said: “I am happy to see people today who have joined me to do the needful, to help widows and orphans in our society.
“As God has permitted me to do what I can do to help the less privileged in society, I pray that God will bless me more to do more in the coming years. Everything we prayed for today will work accordingly, as God has promised, and God will grant us what we desire.
“Tomorrow is my birthday and I decided to come and share some little time with the widows and children from orphanages as much as I can. I want to show love to them and I want them to join me in thanking God for what he has done for me.
Leader of the widows, Mrs. Ogbu Justina, who expressed a heartfelt gratitude to ROOF, said: “We thank her and all those that sponsored her and we pray that God will keep them and may they not suffer what we are going through. As they have put smiles on our faces, may God Almighty continually put smiles on their faces and bless them more.”
Mrs. Joy Tambou, a filmmaker and entrepreneur, added that touching lives should be what people do every day. According to her, one could touch lives by helping the less privileged.
“The founder has been doing this every year and she does a lot of things to help people and I am happy that this is happening to help the less privileged. I urge the widows to put themselves together and God will help them to fulfil what they want to become in life.
“I celebrate with orphanages for what they are doing to help orphans in the society because they take care of children and I want well meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations to always support orphanges in the country,” she said.