Cyriacus Nnaji
Business tycoon, serial entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Dr. Helen Oritsejafor, has been recognized by the African Leadership Magazine (ALM) Persons of the Year, with the award of the African Philanthropist of the Year 2021, for her outstanding and immeasurable philanthropic works through her foundation, “Dr. Helen A Hand to the Needy Foundation” which has changed the lives of the young and old in the society.
The organizers of the award ceremony, ALM, had their 10th edition on Saturday 26th of February, 2022, at The Dorchester, Mayfair London, United Kingdom, where distinguished Africans like President of Malawi, Mr Lazarus Chakwera, President Chattered Institute of Bankers, Ghana, Ms. Patricia Sappor, Director General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Nigeria, Captain Musa Nuhu, amongst others; who have shown extraordinary prowess in various sectors of the economy the previous year were recognized; thereby, creating a platform to celebrate the continent’s sources of hope, likewise those who provided opportunities for growth in the pre and post-COVID era.
Dr. Oritsejafor who has been a beacon of hope to millions of people over the years, with exceptional traits of consistency and commitment to making lives better, has shown great strength of selflessness and love through various benevolent exploits, from expanding educational opportunities to thousands of less privileged children in the society through a full scholarship scheme which runs from the primary to tertiary institutions, to augmenting the standards of living of the unemployed youths through empowerment scheme where thousands are freely trained and funded in different professional and agricultural fields for business start-up.
During the award ceremony, when asked by Dr. ken Giami, the CEO of ALM the reasons for her humanitarian works, Dr. Oritsejafor explained, stating that the open-heartedness and kind gestures of her father for others and the loss of her mother at an early age, gave her a passion, where she realized that life should not be only on personal achievements, but also on initiatives aimed at transforming the lives of others, giving them a ray of hope that they can actualize their goals as well. She further stated that her philosophy is hinged on the transformation and the well-being of mankind, which now greatly influenced her.
Through her foundation, Dr. Oritsejafor has also helped individuals with struggling businesses of small and medium scale that are affected by the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, and also start-ups. She supported them by organizing highly intellectual business trainings, as well as financial support and seed capital ranging from N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) to N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) respectively.
She further extended her big-hearted scheme to the widows in the society in April 2021 where over 200 widows were empowered in a bid to keep them mobilized on the social strata and over 3,000 market women were also empowered from October 2021, till date, to enhance their business enterprise. This was facilitated with over N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira), alongside food items as gifts.
The serial entrepreneur also supported the less privileged in the remote parts of the society during the yuletide period in December last year, with funds and unimaginable foodstuffs, which were widely applauded by the beneficiaries.
