From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Rock of Ages Empowerment Foundation, a non-profit organisation has provided food and non-food items to widows to mark International Widows Day. Over 1,000 widows from different faiths and backgrounds benefitted from the distribution as well as free medical outreaches and other interventions.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Ignatius Newman Ezeigbo, said at the event in Abuja: “I had a miraculous intervention some years ago in Maiduguri (Borno State), which made me to vow that I will continue to provide this intervention to widows. And through the help of God, I have been consistent. It’s interesting to note that as this intervention was going on in Abuja, a similar outreach was being done in Maiduguri, where the intervention originally started.”
He disclosed that the women who were drawn from 19 zones of the foundation from in the FCT have been enjoying the monthly health checks, food distribution and other interventions even before the commemoration day: “And this has been made possible through the financial support that has come through personal efforts and a few friends.”
He reminded widows of the need to be strong, physically and emotionally, so they could be able to train their children in the way to the Lord thus impacting them with necessary values that would make them useful to themselves and the society:
“In next year’s edition, about 200 women have been pencilled down for special empowerment. It will be the first set, but more people would be selected subsequently for more empowerment opportunities.
“Nevertheless, I am glad for the reports being received from different zones regarding the financial liberation being achieved among the women. Many of these women have used the little tokens and start-up kits we provided for them to make good fortunes for themselves and their children.
“We also encouraged and supported them in whatever we could to liberate these women, making them financially independent so they could be more useful to themselves.”
Guest speaker, Blessing Olisah, exposed the women to lots of things they could do to help themselves, financially and otherwise, thereby reducing over dependence on assistance. She encouraged them to join cooperatives, engage in personal savings and other skills acquisition opportunities that would enhance their capacities and opportunities to generate wealth for themselves: “Widowhood is not a sin. Hence, widows should not be isolated or maltreated for any reason.”
One of the beneficiaries, Cecelia Ohakwe, said: “I have been a widow since 2000 with nine children and was left with nothing to fall back on. But I am grateful to Rock of Ages Empowerment Foundation for the opportunity it has provided for me in the last 10 years. I have benefited greatly in terms of food items, drugs and other interventions over the years. I remain eternally grateful for that.”
Awards were given to some zones with outstanding performances.