Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has praised former Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun for her efforts to help orphans, vulnerable children, and the less fortunate.

Osinbajo presented the award on Sunday in Lagos at the launch of the DashMe Store, an online component of the Dashme Foundation.

Adeosun’s initiative, DashMe Foundation, seeks to improve the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children, youths, and victims of domestic violence in West Africa by funding indigenous organizations that work with them.

Dashme Store is also an online thrift store that raises funds for orphanages and other charitable organizations; it is all about celebrating the art of giving.

The vice president praised Adeosun’s capacity for new ideas and innovation, as well as her perseverance in seeing them through.

“But most importantly, her belief that all service to man is actually service to God; that we owe the people, particularly the poor and underprivileged, not just empathy but concrete and creative provision to enable them to live their best lives.

“This is why, as a minister, she prioritized the social investment program when we allocated nearly N500 billion of our annual budget to welfare programs for the poor for the first time.

“I am not surprised, therefore, that she has decided to use some of her enormous talent and influence to establish an organization that raises funds and resources for indigenous grassroots charities that work with orphaned and vulnerable children, disadvantaged youths, and victims of domestic violence.

“The DashMe Foundation is, in every way, who Kemi Adeosun is.”

He stated that Adeosun and her team introduced the project to the new concept of social enterprise.

Philanthropy, he believes, runs parallel to the discipline, attention to detail, and financial prudence of a successful business.

The DashMe Store, according to Osinbajo, is an important component of the DashMe Foundation.

“This is just one of the innovative ways in which the foundation will raise funds for charitable purposes.

“The concept of this thrift store for charity is brilliant, and it is the first of its kind in Nigeria.

“It is a one-of-a-kind model that goes beyond simply handing out donations to help the needy.

“It is an innovative and structured method of aggregating donations to earn income in order to transform the lives of the vulnerable and needy while also creating jobs.”

According to him, the process ensures that donations reach hard-to-reach vulnerable people through the grassroots charities supported by the foundation.

He was especially impressed with the online DashMe Store.

“It is very user-friendly and simple to use; I must say that your emphasis on funding grassroots charities is critical.

“Having campaigned with you on behalf of our party, the APC, all over Ogun and throughout Nigeria, it is clear that you cannot reach Nigeria and Nigerians unless you have a grassroots strategy.

It is clear to me that the ultimate goal of this foundation is to be a powerful institution for the creation of wealth and opportunity for today’s underprivileged.

“I am delighted that the poor and disadvantaged now have one of the smartest, most eloquent, and tenacious spokespersons and activists – Adeosun,” he said.

The vice president expressed confidence that the DashMe foundation would be a game changer in Nigerian philanthropy and social enterprise.

Adeosun previously stated that Nigeria has 17.5 million orphaned and vulnerable children.

She claimed that the extended family, which had traditionally supported such children, had been lost as a result of urbanization.

The former minister stated that the DashMe Store was designed to raise as much money as possible for orphanages and children’s homes, as well as to profile them and send funds to them.

She stated that in order for a charity to be sustainable, many people must contribute small amounts over time.

According to her, work is being done on a technology that will allow orphanages to upload their needs.

Following that, Osinbajo paid a courtesy call on the Oniru of Iru Kingdom, Lagos State, Oba Abdulwasiu Lawal, who is commemorating his coronation anniversary.