BY FRANK KINTUM, 2 OCTOBER 2003
Lagos — The Jose Foundation, a United States (US)-based non-governmetal organisation(NGO) with projects across Africa, Middle East, Asia, and North America, was among the many organisations, private and governmental,which graced the recent fund riasing/gala night by the Gede Foudation in Washington DC, United States of America.
Graced by several NGOs, government officials, private individuals and corporate bodies, to support the Mrs. Jemila Atiku Abubakar’s “Build Hope for the Impoverished People the World Over”, the first night turned out a grand fund raiser, just as the second night, a gala night organised as a special dinner in honour of the first lady of Nigeria, Chief (Mrs.) Stella Obasanjo.
Prominent among guests at the two-day event were Prince Martins Abhulimhen, President/Founder,Jose Foundation, which had among others also in its five-man delegation, its Vice President, Europe, Asia and Africa, Mr. Edmund Otudeko, Mr. Chris Ugboke, who oversees, the Foundation’s operations in North America, and Mr. Dapo Odusanya, its Co-mmunications Director.
The occasion also featured discussions among various interest groups and Foundations on how they can either jointly or severally execute their objectives of helping the poverty stricken and less privileged peoples of the world.
High on their agenda was the HIV/AIDS epidemic now ravaging the African continent.
Former Ghanaian Presid-ent, Jerry Rawlings, delivered a moving and educative speech on gender and the negativity of traditional attitudes to AIDS.
Also at the dinner, Gede had mainly organised to seek support for its programmes, were Rawlings’ wife, as well as ace broadcaster and former Special Adviser on Information to Edo State Governor, Mr. Sonny Irabor, top government functionaries and business moguls.
Only last month, Jose Foundation brokered a working relationship with Guardian Scientific Africa (GSA) of the United States, after a meeting held at Moumouth Beach, New Jersey, United States of America. Both group had agreed on fashioning out a programme to fight the HIV/AIDS scourge, using a multi-dimensional approach. The programme designed to reach about 1,000,000 citizens of Nigeria for a start, would run for over five years.
In attendance at the two organisations’ meeting were Prince Abhulimhen, Pres-ident, Jose Foundation, Ms. Madeline Wasserman, Pre-sident, GSA, officials of both bodies, and some other stakeholders concerned about the AIDS scourge in Africa.
Prince Abhulimhen, is optimistic that an enduring partnership and support for Gede Foundation, a dream of Jemila, wife of the vice president, will ultimately benefit the less privileged. Jose Foundation, which web site(www.josefoun-dation.com) is open to NGOs seeking assistance, has projects across Africa, Middle East, Asia and North America.