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Wale (sounds like Wally) Mafolasire moved from Nigeria to Indiana in the early 2000s for college. A person of faith who believes in helping others, he saw a need in the community for a reliable and secure way to make cause-based donations. So, he created an app that connects people to the causes that matter most to them – currently more than 75,000 organizations in need of monetary donations. It’s called Givelify … and people responded immediately. 

“Little did we know that there were a lot of people like me who had very good intentions to support their favorite organizations or churches,” said Mafolasire. 

The business grew as he responded to customer input and he realized that he needed to hire more people.  

“We kept looking around the country, exploring a couple of different cities, and there was just something about Dallas—the vibe, the culture, the people,” Mafolasire added. 

Today, Givelify is a global, remote company and while headquarters remains in Indiana, Mafolasire moved with his family to Dallas in 2017. More than 20 percent of the company’s workforce also lives here. 

Loving the Oak Lawn lifestyle 

Mafolasire settled with his family in the Oak Lawn area where he says he enjoys both being able to get out and walk five miles every day and being close to big city amenities.  

And as much as he loves the business opportunities here, he’s equally impressed with options for fun. 

“Going to a Dallas Cowboys stadium is something else. There’s a pregame party, there’s the game, and then there’s the post-game party. It’s like a carnival here. And I see an ad that shows Hamilton is showing in Dallas. I’m like, what? So, I got a chance to go see that in Dallas without having to go to New York.” 

And when you’ve had your fill of drama on the field and the stage, he says there’s still more to explore. 

“I’d say definitely visit the museums. The Art Museum downtown is one to look out for; Perot Museum is another one and go Uptown to do a little bit of restaurant hopping.” 

Of course, good restaurants aren’t restricted to Uptown. One of his favorite restaurants for a taste of home is located in Garland: Salt N Pepper Kitchen.  

“There’s a lot of restaurants around that are authentic Nigerian meals and it’s a good collection. I gotta say, before I moved to Dallas, I didn’t have those kinds of options.” 

Celebrating a diverse city with a common goal 

Mafolasire says what he’s most impressed by is the way people with different backgrounds and life experiences join forces to make things happen.  

“One thing I encourage people to do is just appreciate the diversity of Dallas. Not just the Nigerian community, right, but the other communities as well, all the different communities together and the networks that you’re able to build because of that, the people you’re able to meet, and the friendships that come out of that.” 

Givelify’s indicators also tell another part of the Dallas story—the generous nature of the people who call this city home. 

“DFW is ranked number two nationwide in the number of gifts and donors supporting local organizations. We are second only to Atlanta.” 

Sure, Givelify is an app, but for Mafolasire, building it has not just been about technology. It’s about people, purpose, and possibility. Dallas has given him the community and culture to bring his vision into focus, and in return, he hopes to keep fueling the spirit of generosity that makes the city shine.  

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