By Tobi Oyetunde

The Sholly Serenity Place, a haven offering accommodation and multifaceted support to survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), has been recognized for its exceptional work by the Lagos State Government.

The shelter, run by the Shola Adefolalu Gaska Foundation, was recently awarded the “Most Responsive NGO” in the state at the Governor’s Award ceremony.

This recognition comes as a boost for the Foundation to do more, as the world commemorates the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” (November 25 to December 10). The ceremony and award were part of the climax marking the ‘Domestic Violence Awareness Month’ by the State’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA).

The Sholly Serenity Place, also known as Sholly’s Safe Home, is a testament to the dedication of Bola Salt Essien-Nelson, who established the Shola Adefolalu Gaska Foundation in honor of late sister, Shola Gaska.

Driven by the mission to bring smiles to the faces of those in need, particularly women and children, the foundation has extended its reach far and wide. Since April 2017, their impactful initiatives have included providing monthly allowances to vulnerable women and families, rehabilitating a wheelchair-bound beggar, offering COVID-19 relief packages, and awarding academic scholarships.

“Our goal is to make the world a happier place, one smile at a time and since April 2017 we have done that in different ways: providing monthly allowances to vulnerable ladies and families for period ranging from six to 12 months; the rehabilitation of a wheel-chair bound beggar from the streets of Lagos Island back to his family home in Abeokuta and the provision of Covid-19 relief packages to several families in need every month since September 2020 to date. We have also awarded two academic scholarships”, said Mrs. Essien-Nelson.

In June 2021, the Foundation opened the doors of the Sholly Serenity Place, a safe home for vulnerable women and survivors of domestic abuse/violence. The shelter also known as Sholly’s Safe Home provides temporary accommodation and feeding totally free of cost for its residents. It seeks to create an enabling environment where residents feel loved and cared for in a way that re-ignites hope in them for their future.

“We pour out God’s love over our residents and as we take care of them, slowly but surely, their hope is restored. They are now able to think and work out their next steps with the NGO or Church that referred them to us. It is a thing of beauty to see the power of God’s love in action and while it is very emotionally demanding, the smiles we see on their faces after being with us for a while make it all worth it”, she added.

Betty Abah, a prominent women’s rights activist, commends the foundation’s efforts, calling them “God-sent.” She highlights the foundation’s unwavering support, not just through financial means but also through donations and collaboration with other shelters like Hearts of Hope, which Abah herself administers.

“The Shola Gaska Foundation has been of tremendous benefit to many of our women and children from day one. The support is indeed unquantifiable.

“Madam Salt has been one of our major pillars of support. She continues to be an amazing symbol of someone who took her lemons and turned to lemonade, benefiting countless people in the process. The award from the Lagos State Government is very much deserved. Our world is certainly better and more beautiful with people like Salt”, said Abah.

Essien-Nelson expressed her gratitude for the recognition and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration. “We look forward to greater collaboration as we continue in our service to the vulnerable members of our society, God helping us,” she affirmed.