The Rochas Foundation Old Students Association (ROFOSA) South West Conference, organised by the Rochas Foundation took place January 25, 2018, at the Classique Events.

This year’s conference themed “Reach, Lead, Today” saw established business men and women Tara Fela-Durotoye, a Nigerian makeup artist and lawyer; Leo Stan Ekeh, MD/CEO Zinnox Technologies; Amen Rochas, Uloma Okorocha-Nwosu, Osayi Olile and other s come out to inspire the many beneficiaries of the Foundation, people who want to be empowered and those who want to key in to the mission of the Foundation.

We then had an interview with the Director, Rochas Foundation, Ucy Rochas.

What is your role as Director of the Foundation?

“I run the latest arm of the Foundation, which is the Rochas Foundation College of Africa. Basically, what we do is get five less privileged children from every African country and bring them here. We give them free education, high school education and see that they get to the University level.”

How do you reach out to these children?

“We go through their embassies, presidents and first ladies and that is why the media has seen a couple of times where a President visits like Jacob Zuma of South Africa, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia. They came not for political reason but to see their children.”

“That’s why we are starting a campaign called the 1 million campaign. What we are trying to do is to ensure that 1 million African children get education. We at Rochas Foundation cannot do it alone. We started with one college and today we have ten colleges and over 15,000 children. Every year, we get 2,000 people for interviews in each state and we can only accept 200.

“So, our task is to tell people that it does not have to be Rochas Foundation. We cannot do it alone. Our aim is just to make sure that 1 million African children are off the streets by 2030 and in schools.”

How do you fund the Foundation?

“We are funded basically from personal businesses from the Rochas Group of Companies, which has been.

“The founder, who is now the governor but was a business man before then. He made a pact with God that if He blesses him ‘he will give to those who do not have. If you empower me I will empower others’.

“So, 75 percent of his wealth goes to the Foundation.”

Inspiring words?

“All I have to say is reach out wherever you are. It does not have to be through the Rochas Foundation. Once you give, you touch a life, once you touch a life you are balancing your account with God. So, for me just continue to give. It could be smile, it could be N1,000. Just give something.”