HISTORY OF RAISE UP THE ROOF FOUNDATION

The story of Raise Up the Roof Foundation, Inc. (RUTRF) is rooted in a simple conviction: every human person possesses inherent dignity and deserves the opportunity to live with hope, purpose, and dignity.

From his childhood in Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Dr. Edmund Ugwoegbu, President of Raise Up the Roof Foundation, witnessed the marginalization and discrimination experienced by persons with disabilities and people living in poverty. For many vulnerable people, exclusion was not simply an isolated social problem; it was a daily reality that affected their access to education, healthcare, housing, employment, and meaningful participation in society.

Years later, in 2020, Fr. Edmund was deeply moved by reports of persons with disabilities taking to the streets of Abuja to protest continued discrimination and exclusion, despite the signing of Nigeria's Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act in January 2019. Their protest prompted him to reflect more deeply on the gap between legislation and the lived realities of vulnerable people.

He became increasingly concerned about the failure of institutions and political leadership to adequately respond to the needs, aspirations, and dignity of persons with disabilities and other marginalized communities. Too often, vulnerable populations are remembered during political campaigns but forgotten when the campaigns are over. For Fr. Edmund, this reality demanded more than observation. It demanded action.

A Mission Takes Root

Nigeria has a large population of economically disadvantaged people and persons with disabilities, many of whom live without adequate access to education, healthcare, housing, skills development, and other basic necessities.

The need is particularly visible in communities across southeastern Nigeria, including Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States. While the Catholic Church and other humanitarian organizations have made significant efforts to respond to these challenges, the scale of the need remains enormous.

After carefully reflecting on these realities, Fr. Edmund and the leadership of RUTRF decided to strengthen the Foundation's focus on Nigeria and Cameroon, with particular attention to vulnerable communities in southeastern Nigeria and conflict-affected communities in Cameroon. The Foundation's work is grounded in the belief that charity must go hand in hand with human dignity, solidarity, empowerment, and justice.

Turning Compassion into Action

Since its establishment, Raise Up the Roof Foundation has reached out to individuals and communities facing significant hardship.

Through the generosity of donors and partners, RUTRF has provided assistance in areas including:

• Education and scholarships for children, young people, and other students in need.
• Skills development and vocational training designed to promote self-reliance and empowerment.
• Healthcare assistance, including support with hospital and medical expenses.
• Housing assistance, including rent support for persons with disabilities and families experiencing severe financial hardship.
• Housing construction for vulnerable widows and families who lacked safe and secure accommodation.
• Informal education and skills development for persons with disabilities in southeastern Nigeria.
• Humanitarian outreach to vulnerable families living in rural and economically disadvantaged communities.

Some of these initiatives have taken place in communities affected by poverty and the farmer-herder crisis, where families have faced displacement, insecurity, and the loss of their livelihoods. These interventions are more than material assistance. They are an expression of solidarity—a reminder to people who have often been overlooked that they are seen, valued, and not forgotten.

Reaching Communities in Cameroon

The Foundation's mission extends beyond Nigeria.

The continuing conflict in Cameroon has displaced many families from their homes, leaving women, men, and especially children struggling to meet basic humanitarian needs. Many displaced families have sought refuge in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) communities, particularly in the Southwest Region of Cameroon.

In response, Raise Up the Roof Foundation, in collaboration with the Catholic Diocese of Mamfe, has supported vulnerable children and families through educational assistance.

The Foundation has provided scholarships for needy students attending Catholic schools within the Diocese of Mamfe. More than one hundred children living in IDP communities in the Mamfe area have received scholarship support, while other students supported by the Foundation attend government secondary schools in the Bamenda area and universities in Buea.