Grace To Grow Empowerment Foundation has formally emerged after eight years of grassroots engagement with marginalised communities, marking a transition from informal volunteer outreach to a registered non-governmental organisation with a focus on long-term empowerment.
The foundation was founded by Grace Josiah and grew from a Christmas outreach programme launched in 2016. The initiative was created to respond to education gaps and food insecurity in underserved communities. At the time, it operated as a corporate social responsibility effort under Auntie Grace Plug Ltd and focused on schoolchildren and economically vulnerable women, including widows and nursing mothers.
“What started as a simple desire to help children return to school with dignity and ensure families had food during the festive season gradually showed us how deep and interconnected these challenges were,” Josiah said. “Over the years, the communities we served helped shape our understanding of what real empowerment should look like.”
Through its annual programmes, the initiative provided back-to-school materials such as school bags, writing tools, mathematical sets and basic supplies. The aim was to reduce obstacles to regular school attendance and support children from low-income households. Alongside education support, food distribution programmes supplied staple foods, household items and personal care products to women-led families, recognising the role of women in household stability.
As the outreach expanded, limitations linked to its informal structure became more visible. Community leaders raised concerns about continuity and institutional backing, while expectations sometimes exceeded what a volunteer-led effort could deliver. These challenges became more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic, when activities were suspended in 2020. The disruption highlighted the limits of informal interventions during periods of uncertainty.
“The pandemic was a turning point for us,” Josiah said. “It made it clear that goodwill alone is not enough. To truly serve communities consistently, there must be structure, accountability and a framework that can withstand uncertainty.”
Following this period, the initiative began a process of strategic restructuring. Grace To Grow Empowerment Foundation was formally registered in 2025, with full operations scheduled to begin in 2026. The foundation’s mandate now includes women’s development, skills training in marginalised communities, advocacy for inclusion and equal opportunity, mentorship programmes, and support for the mental and emotional well-being of young people.
According to Josiah, the foundation’s direction reflects lessons drawn from years of working directly with communities. “We realised that empowerment cannot be seasonal,” she said. “It has to be continuous, addressing not just immediate needs but also the systems and mindsets that keep people excluded.”
The annual Christmas outreach will continue as a core programme under the new structure. The 2026 edition will be the first implemented under the foundation’s formal NGO status, linking its earlier volunteer efforts with a year-round approach to community engagement.
As it prepares for full operations, Grace To Grow Empowerment Foundation has indicated openness to partnerships with public institutions, private sector organisations and development bodies seeking community-led solutions. For Josiah, the foundation’s formal launch represents a commitment rather than a shift in purpose. “This is about honouring the communities that trusted us from the beginning,” she said, “and building an institution that can grow with them for years to come.”
