Intervention Programmes

Since inception in 2008, the foundation has been carrying out several intervention programmes to her targeted beneficiaries and these programmes include;

(A) EDUCATION AND COUNSELLING:
This programme is geared towards the educational development of widow's children and orphans. The Foundation also conducts seasonal "Education Relief Programme" (ERP) where some students are adopted by individual sponsors who pay their school fees. In addition, BFF conducts an annual "Back to school" (BTS) Programme where school items such as school bags, school sandals, water bottles, exercise books, mathematical sets, biors, pencils etc are distributed to over fifty (50) school children.

(B) BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT:
The Foundation's Business & Economic Empowerment has really put a lot of smiles on the faces of widows with over two hundred crates of coca-cola drinks with various coca-cola products such as tables, coolers, umbrellas etc, for trading purposes. Over the years, the Foundation has empowered more than one hundred (100) widows in various businesses through the Lagos State University (LASU) Microfinance Bank and the FBM microfinance Bank with soft loans ranging from fifty (50) Thousand Naira to two hundred (200) Thousand Naira. While the widows pay back the principal sums to the Bank in six months installments, the Foundation offsets the interests on the loans. Furthermore, BFF gives "Concessional Business Grants" (CBG) to elderly widows, ranging between Twenty (20) thousand Naira and fifty (50) Thousand Naira, for their petty trading. However, these category of widows are not expected to pay back money given to them.

(C) REHABILITATION AND HEALTH CARE:
The Foundation has intervened in over thirty (3) widows' Accommodation problems, either augmenting or paying full house rents ranging from Fifty (50) Thousand to Two Hundred and Fifty (250) Thousand Naira. Some of the beneficiaries are Mrs. Veronica Ogundairo, Mrs. Okeh Victoria, Mrs. Ashimonye Livina, and Mrs. Ibeku Felicia to mention but a few. The Foundation has also intervened in the cases of widow with health issues. Hospital bills are paid for widow with one ailment or the other. Special Medical Grants are given to widows with long term illness such as Diabetes, Hypertension etc. (This grant is split into months to assist them in purchasing their medication). Widows who have benefited from this programme include: Mrs. Ashmonye Livina (accident victim), Mrs. Gloria John (diabetic & Hypertension patient), Mrs. Blessing Obi (hypertensive patient), and Mrs. Irefo Francisca et al. Furthermore, the Foundation has in partnership with the JDPC of the Archangles Catholic Church, Satellite Town, sponsored free and extensive medical checkup (for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol level, kidney/liver functioning etc) for over one hundred (100) widows.

(D) MATERIAL NEEDS AND WELFARE:
Every year since 2008, BFF organizes annual "End of the year welfare package" for its registered beneficiaries. In this programme, items such as bags of rice, bags of beans, cartons of indomie noodles, cartons of tin tomatoes, gallons of oil etc are distributed. Apart from this, the Foundation approves Annual Feeding allowances to families with feeding challenges. (The approved grants are used to purchase food items for such families on monthly basis). Some of the families that have benefited from this includes;
*The Emejor Family
*The Ukaegbu Family
*The Olawale Family
*The Onyejiaka Family e.t.c.

(E) PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING PROGRAMME:
Since inception, the Foundation organizes annual "Prayer and Thanksgiving Programme". In this programme, the importance of prayers and thanksgiving is emphasized. All the beneficiaries are gathered for counseling, training and for prayers for God's Mercies and Graces.

(F) VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND SKILL ACQUISITION:
The Foundation in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has sponsored over twenty widows for different vocational training programmes. The areas of training are bead-making, decoration, baking, cosmetology, soap making and catering. Some of the beneficiaries of this programme are: Mrs. Igwe Eucharia, Mrs. Anokwuru Felicia, Mrs. Onwuamakea Maria, Mrs. tHomas Mary and so on.

(G) OTHER PROGRAMMES:
The foundation has also intervened in some legal cases for oppressed widows. There is recovery of land case at Ibasa, Ijegun for Mrs. Felicia and another recovery of land at Okoko for Mrs. Ubogu Cecilia. There is also recovery of house case for Mrs. Adunni Oyewale at Igando.

CONCLUSION:
In conclusion the Blessed Fruit Foundation has made giant strides in the last few years of its establishment to sustain its progrmmes and activities towards its over five hundred (500) registered beneficiaries. The major challenge facing the Foundation is availability of funds. The Programmes of BFF have been executed basically with donations from kind hearted patrons, patronesses, board of members, friends, and personal fund of members. But, it is generally becoming more and more challenging to meet the growing and overwhelming needs of the beneficiaries, that is why we need you.

You too can be a member of the BFF family by donating in cash or kind towards the programmes & activities of the Foundation