DOWAN OKON FOUNDATION began in 1997 as Dorcas Welfare Foundation, born from a simple yet powerful idea: to provide practical care and lasting dignity to some of Cross River State’s most vulnerable people. Founded and based in Calabar, the organisation was set up to address the pressing needs of widows and orphans through cultural and economic forces, frequently fall outside formal safety nets.
In its earliest years the foundation operated at a grassroots level: small-scale food distributions, school-fee support for children of bereaved households and locally organized skills-training workshops for widows. These direct services built trust in the communities it served and shaped a philosophy that blended immediate relief with empowerment—help today, independence tomorrow.
As the organisation matured, it adopted the name DOWAN OKON FOUNDATION to reflect its expanding identity and long-term goals. To operate more effectively and transparently, the foundation formalised its legal status: it is registered with the Cross River State Ministry of Humanities and Welfare and at the national level, with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Those registrations enabled the foundation to widen its partnerships, secure funding, and engage in formal collaborations with government agencies, local churches, community groups, and other non-profits.
Over the decades DOWAN OKON FOUNDATION broadened its programs while staying true to the original focus on widows and orphans. Typical areas of activity have included basic education support, vocational training and micro-enterprise assistance for widows and health outreach. The foundation’s approach has shifted from ad hoc charity to programmes designed to build capacity—helping beneficiaries acquire skills, access schooling, and participate in local economic life.
Impact has been felt at household and community levels: children retained in school, widows starting small businesses, and stronger local networks for mutual support. Equally important has been the foundation’s role in advocating for the social inclusion of groups often overlooked in policy discussions at the state and local levels.
Today, DOWAN OKON FOUNDATION stands as a rooted NGO with nearly three decades of experience—combining compassionate relief with practical empowerment. Looking forward, the foundation’s path is one of consolidation and scale: deepening proven programs, documenting outcomes for wider learning, and strengthening partnerships so more families in Cross River State can move from vulnerability to resilience.