Get Guardian on GoogleThe Rotary Club of Lekki Golden, in partnership with the Nigeria Rugby League Association (NRLA), CHARM (Caring Hearts And Refuge for Many), Awesome Empowerment Foundation (AEF), and Be The Smile Education & Care Initiative, has launched an economic empowerment project aimed at helping vulnerable individuals build sustainable livelihoods.
The project, launched on Sunday, November 8, at Lekki Heights Hotel, Lekki Phase 1, during the official visit of Rotary International District 9112 Governor, Rtn Layi Abidoye, focused on two of Rotary’s key areas of service: community economic development and basic education and literacy.
Among the items and support provided were seven sewing machines, including three allocated to AEF’s Fortitude Empowerment Scheme; training fees for three women from distressed backgrounds; three barbing kits; a professional hair-styling box; a standing hair dryer; a manual weaving machine; and two laptops.
The project also provided N150,000 to support the rent of a hair-styling shop owned by a beneficiary, two university part-scholarships, and primary-school literacy support through Sampogames.
Speaking at the event, the club’s President, Rtn Abiodun Olawale-Cole, said the initiative reflected Rotary’s commitment to creating lasting impact by providing beneficiaries with resources that could translate into long-term economic independence.
“This project is what Create Lasting Impact looks like in practice. A sewing machine, a barbing kit or a laptop is not a gift that gets used up; it is a livelihood. Training, tools, and even a shop’s rent keep a business open, put food on a family’s table and, in time, create work for others,” he said.
He added that the collaboration demonstrated the value of partnerships in addressing community needs, noting that the project’s success would be measured by what beneficiaries achieved with the support received rather than the handover ceremony itself.
One of the beneficiaries of the university scholarships, Adaeze Precious Innocent, a player with the Green Falcons, Nigeria’s women’s rugby league team, said the scholarship would enable her to pursue her academic ambitions while continuing her rugby career.
Innocent, who has now secured admission to Miva Open University to study Public Policy and Administration, described the intervention as more than financial assistance, saying it represented an investment in her potential, personal growth and future contribution to society.
The project formed part of activities marking the official visit of District Governor Abidoye, during which he reviewed the club’s programmes, achievements and plans for the Rotary year.
The club also inducted a new member, Rtn Leke Adeleye, during the visit. It further announced contributions of N200,000 towards a solar power project for the District 9112 Secretariat and N311,000 towards an inter-school essay competition involving 12 Rotary clubs. The competition is scheduled to run from November 2026 to February 2027.
The economic empowerment initiative is the sixth service project undertaken by the club since the beginning of the 2026/2027 Rotary year on July 1.
Its earlier interventions included a maternal and child health outreach at Obalende Primary Health Centre on August 1, where 500 birthing kits were distributed, more than 150 vital-sign checks were conducted, and 30 sickle-cell tests were carried out.
The club also provided one-year Lagos State Health Scheme (Ilera Eko) coverage for 62 vulnerable residents, trained 19 young people through the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) 2026, and renovated a classroom at Badore Community Primary School with support from a District 9112 grant.
Another intervention was a Basic Education and Literacy Day held on September 25, during which 2,300 books were provided through the support of Onward Paper Mill.
According to the club, its first five projects had a combined value of N8.25 million, with partners and donors contributing approximately N5 for every N1 invested by the club.
The Rotary Club of Lekki Golden said it plans to implement one service project every month through June 2027, with funding support generated from its Investiture and Fundraising Ceremony held on October 24, 2026.
