Dr. Olaronke Arike Ladipo began an amazing career at the Society for Family Health in August 1999 as a Coordinator in the Research & Evaluation Division, coming in from the private health sector where she worked at a number of hospitals including the prestigious Eko Hospitals plc in Ikeja. She grew and impacted both SFH and her division leaving briefly in 2003 to attend the prestigious Harvard University School of Public Health (Cambridge, USA) as a David E. Bell Research Fellow in the Centre for Population and Development Studies.

She returned to SFH Nigeria in June 2004 to take on HIV and AIDS programming, pioneering as the Head of the USAID funded Comprehensive Integrated Approach to HIV Prevention and Care in Nigeria (CIHPAC) project, one of the first projects funded directly to a Nigerian organisation by the United States government. She subsequently rose to the position of Director of the Global Fund Division in SFH in February 2009. Ronke contributed greatly to the growth of SFH as an organisation, impacting on both individual lives and programmes at SFH Nigeria.

Until her death, she served as the Chief of Party, of the Strengthening HIV Prevention Services for Most at Risk Persons (SHiPS for MARPs) – a new five year project funded by USAID. Dr Ladipo will be greatly missed by very dear friends and colleagues in the development world both in Nigeria and abroad. Her work is a lasting legacy within SFH and her endearing personality and work ethic will forever be engraved in our hearts.

 …Iya Ijebu, the ever devoted mother of Olaolu and Damilola we shall miss you