Dr Helen Oritsejafor is a pillar of motivation to many, an outstanding author, a great philanthropist, an architect of building potentials and skills, with intrinsic worth of noble service and generosity which she has depicted effortlessly over the years.
Determined to see growth and development of lives, Dr Helen has granted remarkable help to the society at large and ensured her impact is felt wherever and whenever the need arises. She has no doubt left any stones unturned with her continuous and persistent display of selflessness and love from the young to the aged over the years.
From times past, she has shown dedication to ensure the future generation is well established, by setting up free vocational and skill acquisition courses for the youths and the unemployed to help them find a balance in the social strata. She has also rendered scholarships from primary through to the tertiary level, which has fashioned out great men and women in the society.
Dr Helen has been recognized and honoured in past years by some of the world’s best platforms, leaders, and groups, some of which are, the United Nations with an Award of recognition for support to women & youth in Nigeria in 2015, the Afrikanwatch Gold Merit award (AGMA) as Most Outstanding Philanthropist of the year with a Conferment of Afrikanwatch Grand National Patriot (AGNP) in 2018, and a global recognition by the wives of Presidents and wives of Vice Presidents in Africa as an Advocate of Ending Extreme Poverty in Africa in 2018 amongst others.
Dr Helen has also affected lives positively as a TV host to a hit family show “Mama Helen &You” which has graced the television and online platforms for many years. She has used the platform to physically and intellectually carry out her philanthropic feats time and again. She surprised the less privileged in the rural areas of the society with cash donations and food items to celebrate with them during the festive season and to put a smile on their faces. She has also used the platform to impact knowledge on ways to deal with everyday issues that erupts in the society and within the family.
Her desire and passion to help people in need saw to the birth of her foundation, “Dr Helen, a Hand to the Needy Foundation”, which has made her philanthropic feat radiate more over the years.
The Foundation which runs with the mantra “We Care” came into existence during the Covid-19 era. This came about after the release of one of her best-sellers “You Too Can Become a Success”, a book released during the pandemic era. The author and philanthropist determined to support businesses at the verge of winding up rendered 50% of the proceeds of the book sale for their support.
She set up free business training as well as financial support for start-ups to find a level ground in the business world, and to avoid a business closure for those who were struggling due to the economic hardships the pandemic had caused. After which, she awarded them with cash donations ranging from three hundred thousand naira to five hundred thousand naira respectively. These acts were effectively carried out under her foundation, birthed out of the vision to support businesses amongst others.
It is no wonder Dr Helen was honoured, recognized and cheered intercontinentally for her unforgettable works which has positively affected people now and in times past. She was honoured early this year as the African Philanthropist of the year by the organization of the African Leadership Magazine (ALM) for her immeasurable and invaluably impactful philanthropic exploits through her foundation “Dr Helen, A Hand to the Needy Foundation” which has implemented significant changes in the lives of people.
The organization saw renowned Africans like Dr Oritsejafor who had shown outstanding prowess and stood as purveyors of hope in various sectors of the economy being recognized and celebrated for their illustrious and outstanding works in past years which had created opportunities and caused significant growth before, during and post-COVID era.
She embarked on another philanthropic journey lending a helping hand through her foundation to the widows to support them in their endeavours by providing financial and edible support to them. This was carried out in collaboration with former congresswoman Dee Dawkins-Haigler from the United States of America, who said she had family who had experienced widowhood and so was drawn to support the humanitarian course.
Dr Oritsejafor also known for her business scholarly expertise has in times past organized trainings, seminars and workshops for skill acquisition as well as to bridge the knowledge gap in business.
She has continued this service by giving back to business executives, managers and Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of organizations time and again with free mentoring classes centred on effective strategies and ideas to ensure their businesses and organizations stand the test of time and last for many generations. This she has done over the years quarterly through her mentorship program, “The CEO’s Company Mentorship Class” solely birthed to aid sustainability and growth of businesses globally.
Alarmed at the rate at which businesses and organizations collapse in Africa, Dr Helen founded the class with a rationale that it is important for proper scrutinizing to be done with immediate effect, to enable African organizations and businesses to last for centuries, and ensure the existence of job security for the future generation. The class which has been running for years has left many small and medium-scale entrepreneurs as well as business heads remain firm notwithstanding the economic ups and downs they have faced over the years.
Undoubtedly, it can be said that Dr Helen is a woman of many strengths but also a great philanthropist whose weight has been greatly felt and whose footprints will be left on the sands of time for many generations to come.
