Kemi Adeosun: Financing the Needy at 55
Amidst a deluge of congratulatory messages in honour of former Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun, who clocked 55 last Wednesday, Festus Akanbi writes that the former minister has been consistent with her care for the needy through various charity programmes such as Share Your Bread, (a prison feeding programme), and recently the Dash Me Foundation where she raises funds for orphans, vulnerable children, disadvantaged youth and victims of domestic violence
Kemi Adeosun has found many new reasons to smile. This week, she clocked 55. Since leaving office in 2018, she has been busy. Apart from clearing her name in court and setting the records straight over the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) issue, she went back to the classroom, topping the class at the prestigious London School of Economics in the Executive Masters of Public Administration programme. But this lady has always spread her sphere of influence beyond her personal needs. Few people know that for four years, she ran a prison feeding programme called ‘Share your bread’, sending meals for over 3500 prisoners in Ikoyi prison every week.
In 2021, she took her charitable efforts even further with the high profile launch of the Dash Me Foundation.
Chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and attended by many prominent persons, the Dash Me Foundation is registered in New York, the United Kingdom and Nigeria and raises funds for orphans, vulnerable children, disadvantaged youth and victims of domestic violence.
The first project was the establishment of a Charity Thrift store, Dash Me Store, online and in Lekki Phase 1.
The Lekki Phase 1 store, looks like an upscale boutique, but uniquely all the stock is donated by well-meaning people in London, New York and Nigeria. Some of the items are brand new, whilst others have been gently used. Clothes, shoes, jewellery, phones even furniture has been donated.
Bargain hunters flock there for good value items, with the added knowledge that all the money raised is helping the poor. The trend is growing. As at last month, another branch of Dash Me Store, in Ogba, was opened.
The ex-Minister is directly involved with Dash Me Foundation. Apart from a few international consulting projects, Dash Me is her main endeavour and it is not unusual for the ex-Minister to be seen in the Dash Me stores. However, most of her work is behind the scenes, calling her extensive contacts including captains of industries, governors, bank managing directors and others, and encouraging them to donate cash and declutter their wardrobes and send it to Dash Me Store.
Adeosun has also been able to use her knowledge of the tax system to secure tax exemption status and tie up corporate donations of excess stock from several brands that are keen to take advantage of tax relief whilst helping Nigeria’s needy. The efforts are paying off, and the list of orphanages and other groups working with the needy that receive financial support from Dash Me Foundation just keeps growing. Kudos to her at 55.
