Emmanuel lkpeama
In a bold move to tackle poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion through sustainable solutions, the Heart of Gold Support & Care Initiative and the Patrick Ejedawe Foundation have announced plans to host a landmark Luncheon and Fundraising Ceremony aimed at raising ₦250 million to expand life-changing empowerment programmes across Nigeria.
Scheduled for Friday, June 26, 2026, at the OPTS Hall, LCCI Exhibition Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, the event seeks to mobilize support for initiatives focused on education, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, and long-term community development.
The programme is being convened by Chief (Mrs.) Joy Patrick Ehiagwina and will be chaired by Chief Patrick Anegbe, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Intercontinental Distilleries Limited.
It is expected to attract an influential gathering of philanthropists, business leaders, government officials, development partners, and community stakeholders committed to empowering vulnerable groups and creating pathways to economic independence.
Distinguished Representative of Ikeja Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. James Faleke, will serve as Special Guest of Honour, while the Executive Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Comrade Akeem Olalekan Dauda, will join other eminent personalities, including Prince Enabosi, Dr. Mrs. Ogechi Noble Merry, and Captain Matthew Edache, whose outstanding humanitarian contributions will be celebrated during the event.
With the theme, “Beyond The Handouts,” the gathering aims to promote a shift from temporary relief measures to sustainable empowerment strategies.
A key highlight will be a Fireside Chat titled “Changing the Trajectory: From Poverty Alleviation to Wealth Creation,” which will explore innovative approaches to building self-reliant individuals and thriving communities.
Funds raised during the event will support three major pillars: Education and Literacy through scholarships, learning materials, adult literacy programmes, and vocational training; Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship through practical training and business support for women and youths; and Sustainable Impact initiatives designed to create lasting economic opportunities and community transformation.
According to the organizers, every contribution made towards the initiative represents an investment in human potential, dignity, and hope.
They emphasized that countless young people, widows, and disadvantaged individuals are in need of educational opportunities, vocational skills, and economic support that can help them build better futures.
The Heart of Gold Support & Care Initiative and the Patrick Ejedawe Foundation have therefore called on corporate organizations, philanthropists, government agencies, development institutions, community leaders, and compassionate Nigerians to partner in the mission of creating opportunities that empower individuals to become productive contributors to society.
The organizers maintain that sustainable development begins with empowering people, stressing that by investing in education, skills, and entrepreneurship, Nigerians can help create a future where opportunity—not poverty—defines destiny.
“Together, let us move beyond the handouts and build a legacy of sustainable transformation, one skill, one life, and one community at a time,” the organizers stated.