James Emejo in Abuja

Former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has called for greater public support for charitable adventures that positively impact vulnerable children, disadvantaged youths, domestic violence victims, and physically challenged persons.
Adeosun is currently Founder of DashMe Foundation, a charitable organisation that has impacted lives of thousands of vulnerable and physically challenged Nigerians through various empowerment and social intervention projects.
Speaking during the celebration of the four-year milestone of the foundation and the completion of a N70 million house for the Sought After Women and Children Foundation in Abuja, the former minister expressed satisfaction with the growing support for the charity, especially from Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.
She disclosed that the organisation have raised N450 million In four years to further touch lives.
She noted that the foundation’s had attracted wide participation and helped build a culture of self-help and sustainable giving through its unique model, particularly the “Charity Shops”.
Adeosun said, “We are delighted at how Nigerians here and in the diaspora have responded to our Charity Shop concept.
“DashMe aims to continue expanding, proving the power of self-help. We have impacted thousands of vulnerable Nigerians with our work. We also did borehole, solar energy, wheelchairs and others. In four years, we have raised over N450 million.”
The foundation was launched in June 2021, and also marked its fourth anniversary with the opening of a new charity store in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The organisation completed a new house for the Sought After Women and Children Foundation within a space of eight months, she added.
The former minister noted that the new house would offer young adults a safe and dignified space to begin adulthood.
She said, “We celebrate a major milestone with the completion of the DashMe Foundation House for the Sought After Women and Children Foundation. The house was completed in a space of eight months.
“This halfway house offers maturing young adults of 18 years to 25 years, who have aged out of orphanages, a safe and dignified space to begin adulthood. This demographic often faces a legal and social gap, with limited support once they reach adulthood.
“The house bridges that gap by offering transitional shelter and access to vocational training, education, and mentorship. It is, therefore, more than a building as it represents a symbol of hope and transformation. DashMe Foundation has turned the vision into reality.”
She expressed profound gratitude to the many donors, volunteers, and supporters who have made the foundation’s success possible, describing them as “saints who serve without spotlight.”
In her remarks, Founder of Sought After Women and Children Foundation, Mrs. Carol Silver-Oyaide, expressed gratitude to the DashMe Foundation and the former minister, noting that the newly built house will provide a secure environment for the children and women.
She said, “Our vision is to positively impact the lives of challenged women and children, restore hope to the abused, hurting and abandoned. The Sought After Women and Children is an orphanage dedicated to looking after abused women and children.
“The half-way house is going to be life changing for some young people who have overcome some of the worst starts in life and are thriving,” said Silver-Oyaide.
Speaking on the new DashMe Store, she disclosed that it was the foundation’s third outlet, joining existing branches in Lekki and Surulere in Lagos.
However, at the commemorative event, Adeosun urged Nigerians to contribute towards making life more meaningful for vulnerable children, disadvantaged youths, domestic violence victims, and physically challenged persons.
She said, “DashMe Store is four years old, and the new Store is right in the middle of Abuja at Wuse 2. We are pleased to get this behind us. Nigerians should support the foundation’s work by donating new and gently used items, which are resold to raise funds for vulnerable groups across the country.
“Tell people to declutter and bring their good quality and gently used and new items here so that we can sell them and send the money to the less privileged, orphanages, the physically challenged, and the needy in our midst—so that we can continue to change lives together.”
Recalling the take-off of the foundation in 2021, she noted that it was a modest initiative driven by a desire to give back to the society.
“The journey started small and a bit shaky, but has since evolved into a dynamic and far-reaching enterprise, with a growing footprint not only in Nigeria but also in the United Kingdom and the United States,” she added.
The foundation has become a vital source of support for many Nigerians in need.
Its work spans the length and breadth of the country—from the bustling city of Lagos to the rural communities of Cross River, and from Borno and Kano in the North to the heartland of Osun State.
The foundation has many projects completed and ongoing across the country, including the Internal Displaced Camps in Borno State.
One if its notable interventions took place in Lagos, where it donated ₦7 million to the Last Hope Faith Orphanage. The funds were used to build a permanent home for the children, ensuring long-term stability and security.
The foundation also made an important impact at Peculiar Saints Orphanage by providing ₦2.5 million worth of anti-epileptic medication and installing a sensory therapy room for children with special needs—an often-neglected area in child welfare services.
In Abeokuta, Ogun State, the foundation funded the construction of a permanent home for the YAOCH Orphanage. Valued at ₦20 million, the facility is equipped with solar-powered water systems, durable bedding, and a fully functional kitchen.
It provides a safe and stable environment for dozens of children, many of whom previously lived in overcrowded and under-resourced facilities.
In the South Eastern city of Owerri, DashMe rebuilt the Save the Children Home from the ground up, while simultaneously refurbishing several other orphanages with substantial investments.

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