The Founder of the Araj Empowerment Foundation, Kehinde Raji, has said the philanthropic work of the foundation is rooted in the values of education, service to humanity, and community development instilled by his late father.
Raji stated that the legacy of his father continues to shape his personal life and the activities of the foundation, noting that despite his father’s limited formal education, he placed immense value on learning and moral upbringing.
Speaking during the 20 years remembrance program of his late father, Chief Adebayo Ayoola Raji, Raji explained that his father ensured his children attained higher education and lived with strong spiritual and humanitarian values.
According to him, those principles inspired the establishment of the Araj Empowerment Foundation, which has since focused on supporting vulnerable residents and promoting grassroots development.
He noted that since its inception in 2013, the foundation has impacted thousands of lives across communities through several empowerment initiatives.
“Over the years, we have lost count of the number of people we have supported, but the beneficiaries run into thousands,” he said.
Raji explained that the foundation provides microcredit support to traders and small-scale entrepreneurs, adding that more than 100,000 people have benefited from the revolving credit scheme where beneficiaries support one another.
He further disclosed that the foundation supports elderly residents through the Osun Health Insurance Scheme, while also sponsoring the education of about 5,000 schoolchildren annually through school fees interventions.
Beyond education and health support, he said the foundation regularly carries out market outreach programmes where traders with minimal capital are provided financial support to expand their businesses.
“We sometimes visit markets and assess the traders’ businesses. If someone has goods worth less than ₦10,000, we support them with ₦20,000 or ₦30,000. Sometimes that small amount is all they need to improve their livelihood,” he explained.
Raji added that the foundation’s interventions have significantly supported low-income households, particularly those engaged in small-scale trades such as charcoal and firewood sales.
Speaking on the longevity of the programme, he stressed that the empowerment initiatives would continue for as long as possible.
“This programme will continue for as long as God permits. Our goal is simply to support people regardless of their political or social background,” he said.
Raji also clarified that despite his public engagement and influence within the community, he is not currently involved in partisan politics.
According to him, while politics remains a platform for service, his current focus is on humanitarian efforts and promoting grassroots development.
“I am not a card-carrying member of any political party and I am not involved in partisan politics for now. But if God directs otherwise in the future, we will follow that path,” he stated.
He emphasized the need for leaders who genuinely care about grassroots development and the welfare of ordinary citizens.
“We need leaders who truly love the people and are committed to improving their lives rather than pursuing personal interests,” he added.
