Why I set up a Foundation for under-served communities

The Founder of Oluebube A Chukwu Foundation, Dr Oluebube Chukwu in this interview with our Correspondent Steve Unegbu explains why he decided to set up a Foundation, what he and his team have achieved so far, and shares insight into what the Public should expect from the Foundation in the next couple of years. Excerpts

May we meet you ?

I am Dr Oluebube A Chukwu the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Oluebube A Chukwu Foundation.

What prompted you to set up this Foundation?

: I started nursing the ideas as a child after watching closely, the godly lifestyle of my parents Professor Amarauche and Mrs Chinomso Chukwu. We want to become a beacon of hope , dedicated to transforming lives and fostering positive changes in Nigeria and the world at large. We are on a mission to help the helpless and envision a world where everyone can have access to quality health care , education and economic opportunities. The Foundation primarily provides support to those who require it and draws those in need of her services to a better level than they were previously. We also focus on philanthropy and family support, offering general health services to the needy, providing scholarships to bright but indigent students, uplifting agricultural development through promoting modern trends for better yield, providing grants to small-scale businesses, leadership development and mentorship among others.

Why do you focus on providing grants to small businesses mostly owned by women?

Actually, the grants are primed to broadly stimulate economic development and growth of local areas as well as to boost the earning capacity and wealth of such recipients and we target mostly women-owned businesses which we believe would be incrementally managed for better business success.

Can you outline some of the things the Foundation has done to impact humanity recently?

Well, the Foundation was announced to the world on the 25th of August,2023 and since then the Foundation has been empowering the needy, tackling the challenges of poor literacy by providing educational support, and health care in rural areas and indigent communities. The Foundation recently embarked on Free Medical outreach and treated over 313 total number of sick patients, the medical mission is to cater to those in immediate need of medical attention, especially those that may not be able to pay their way through for required health checks and medical attention.We intend to feature the medical mission programme frequently. Foundation doled out Family Support Packs which include rice and other food items to more than 40 indigent people from Umunneochi in Abia State . The Foundation gave out scholarship and educational support to many students and pupils which includes school bags,books and other educational items to each of them as well as empowered some women by providing business support grants to help them to enhance their businesses.

 In the coming years, what will people expect from the Foundation ?

The Oluebube A Chukwu Foundation (OACF) will continue to roll out several programmes of support to Nigerians in service areas. We will continue to support women in their businesses, we will promote the acquisition of knowledge by our young people, increase our footprints in organizing medical missions and strategically promote the economic well-being of the less-privileged and differently abled people.

We’re excited for the future of the OACF as meaningful partnerships will be pursued to enable us increase our reach for philanthropy and widen our base for those we support and all these are directed at helping our people to build today for their better tomorrow.

What advice do you have for those who are privileged to be financially rich in society but turn a blind eye to the less privileged persons in society?

Ans : *You do not have to be wealthy to share good will with your fellow humans. One only has to develop a mindset of love for humanity to share whatever little one may have. Again, for those who are well off, I enjoin them to learn and practice the concept of the greater good and to realize that there is more to life than living for oneself and their immediate families. Indeed I am of the strong belief that we will unlock sustainable blessings when we help people who may not be able to help themselves at their times of need.

 What is your parting message?

The OACF in years to come, will wax stronger in its quest to deepen service to the needy through its six cardinal pillars of academic scholarships, medical missions, family support programmes, micro lending and grants to small-scale businesses especially women-owned businesses, agro support for rural agricultural development and lastly, leadership training and mentorship for youths and citizens development.

My foundation will grow from strength to strength in wholesome service to Nigerians and all of humanity in any area where we are set to deploy.

Being an individual who is given to promoting peace, self-development and advancing the greater good of all of God’s creation, a trait I acquired from my wonderful parents, I will continue to work for these goals which I believe in.

What is your message to the beneficiaries of these kind gestures from the Foundation ?

Well, I encourage all recipients of our scholarships, business grants, family support packs, and medical outreach to efficiently utilize our value offerings as they are gifts from God Almighty, carefully curated through our Foundation for the advancement of humanity and propagation of the love of God. I call on the carefully selected pupils and students to maintain excellent grades as that will ensure they continue to access the OACF scholarship with all its benefits.

I also enjoin our wonderful women who are mostly recipients of the small business grants to diligently grow their trade as we would provide more support to those who are succeeding with diligent application of the grants to their businesses.

Finally,I call on friends and associates to please support our modest effort to serve the needy through your kind donations.
Your partnership and support in conjunction with what we are able to provide, will ensure we continue to spread happiness and love to an incremental number of people in rural areas of Abia State and beyond