Ondo women group empowers widows with N2m

The Women Advancement for Economic and Leadership Empowerment in Africa (WAELE) Ondo state chapter, has empowered some widows with N2 million.

The empowerment took place during the group’s 15th anniversary celebration Thursday in Akure.

The anniversary celebration where the beneficiaries were presented with cheques was tagged, “Economic Empowerment of Widows in Africa.”

Mrs Grace Adeniseun, state coordinator of WAELE, stated that the N2million was for 90 widows, with five each selected from 18 local government areas of the state.

She said the group has also concluded plans to train 35 women from Ondo state in Tanzania as part of the efforts of the founder, Otunba Basirat Nahibi, to further empower the womenfolk in the country.

Adeniseun said the empowerment initiative would make it easy for women to overcome their financial challenges.

She said trading with such fund would enable the vulnerable women to have resources to train their children.

She stated that the founder’s primary aim is to increase women’s access to education and empowerment opportunities, to ensure sustainable livelihood and enable them to live free of gender-based violence.

The state coordinator said WAELE was founded on May 8, 2004, with the aim to advance opportunities for women of all ages.

She said the group had taken women to different countries for empowerment and enlightenment since inception.

“The founder has been empowering widows; she has been taking them to other countries for empowerment and enlightenment.

“Whenever we have programmes like this, people donate for us; as we are going to Tanzania now, the programme is in conjunction with the Tanzanian government,” she said.

Adeniseun called on women not to depend on their husbands alone, but participate in business and politics in the country.

“My fellow women, it’s high time to stand and find something doing.

We want you to be active in politics in your locality, environment and you should speak out for your rights,” Adeniseun said.

The founder and initiator of the WAELE , Otunba Basirat Nahibi, said the vision and mission of the group were to empower the womenfolk, especially widows, fight against women trafficking, sexual abuse and women discrimination. (NAN)

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