Our Story
Discover Our Journey So Far
The idea for OGBONA IMHAKHENA TRUST FOUNDATION (OITF) was first conceived in 2025 by Barrister Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi, President and Founder of the Living Waters Mission (Holy Sanctuary) – a faith-based humanitarian and evangelical community.
Recognising the absence of structured capital platforms capable of sustaining long-term community advancement in Ogbona, she began a series of focused conversations with a select circle of friends, family members, professionals, and respected leaders within the Ogbona Imhakhena community of Etsako Central LGA, Edo State, Nigeria—many of whom would later become the Foundation’s first Trustees.
What began as a deliberate commitment to serve Ogbona soon drew attention beyond its original scope. Across the African diaspora, sons and daughters of the continent expressed a strong desire to participate in a model built on discipline, transparency, and measurable impact. This momentum was further strengthened by the encouragement of African opinion leaders who recognised that, if properly governed and well-structured, the vision could serve as a scalable framework for other underserved communities across Africa and, ultimately, around the world.
In response, the Foundation adopted a structured pathway for wider impact—extending its reach to other underserved communities while keeping Ogbona as first on the agenda: the flagship community, the proof of concept, and the enduring centre of its mission.
In the early stage, membership engagement was modest. Like many institutional initiatives, the vision required clearer articulation and disciplined communication. Through sustained dialogue with local and diaspora leaders, understanding deepened and commitment began to take root.
A central truth became unavoidable: sustainable impact would require more than goodwill. It would require capital architecture.
Accordingly, a focused Investors Forum was formed—bringing together Ogbona sons and daughters, alongside other aligned participants—with the singular objective of designing an investment vehicle capable of funding the Foundation’s broader social mandate.
Investor engagement therefore became a defining pillar. OITF recognises that durable progress in food security, healthcare access, education support, and infrastructure development must be powered by structured capital systems—not episodic donations.
Although the Foundation’s roots are in Ogbona, its architecture is global. From inception, it has been positioned to attract capital, grants, and partnerships internationally—deploying resources for underserved communities, beginning with Ogbona and extending beyond.
Ogbona first.
But not Ogbona alone.
The journey continues.
