TAKEM Empowerment trains, empowers many widows
By Abba-Eku Onyeka, Abuja
A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO): TAKEM Empowerment Initiatives (TEIs), has trained and empowered about 35 widows, as a way of marking the 2021 International Widows’ Day (IWD).
The President cum Founder of the NGO, Dr (Mrs) Rachael Adewumi, while addressing the audience at the event drew the attention of the governments at all level to widows’ plights in Nigeria.
In line with TEIs plans of cushioning hardships associated with the death of their husbands, she gave cash and other logistics to the trained widows, for them to start on their own, as well as made the case about the plights of all Nigerian widows to the government at all levels
All these she did at the recently marked 2021 IWD, which is marked every 23 June, to celebrate widows all over the world and also create awareness about them and their plights. The theme for this year was “Invisible Women, Invisible Problems.”
This was drawn from the findings that there were about 258 million widows around the world and that nearly one out of 10 live in extreme poverty. It was also discovered that upon the death of their husbands, they aren’t considerd in the policy-making by the government.
Throwing lights on the rationale behind the event, Amb Rachael Adewumi said: “June 21 is set aside for the marking of the IWD. The essence of the event is to create awareness on the widows and their plights.
“The theme for this year’s own, being ‘Invisible Women, Invisible Problems,’ was as a result of the widows’ neglect by the policy makers, as the government doesn’t remember them. So this awareness creation will make the government remember them, because they have a lot at hand, including problems of the upbringing of their children, among other things they are helplessly tackle.
“It will surprise you to know that in some communities, they are treated unfairly and there is nobody to assist them. So for that, we are beckoning on the governmental at all levels to consider the Widows in their policy-making. We are appealing to all the governments to consider and include them in their budgets. If this our appeal is considered, it will go a long way.”
On why her NGO decided to train and empower the widows annually, she said, “Why we train and empower them is to enable them cope up with the harsh economy all over the world. As you know, they don’t have anybody to assist them, and the only way out is to train and empower them. We trained about 35 of them and after that, we gave them starter pack and advised them to be industrious and prudent in the management of their resources, which if done would go a long way.”
On why she does that annually, the NGO president said: “This is a passion. I am always happy whenever I see this set of people fending for themselves and families successfully.”
The Minister, Federal Ministry of Women Affair is a woman and when she was asked, if she has ever presented the widows’ problems to her, Mrs Adewumi however informed that in other to be reached at any time in point, her NGO had to be registered in her Ministry. She therefore advised the widows to be using their talents to achieve their needs and wants. She reiterated on the need for them to be diligent and prudent, adding that it would serve as a motivational factor and encouragement to those who have been empowering them to do more.
Earlier in her welcome address, the NGO Founder reiterated at length on the: need for the government at all levels to be considerate of the widows’ plights in their policies; need for the widows to diligently and prudently manage the resources with which the NGO empowered them; reason why her NGO has been helping them, among others, even as she added that such help would go a long way to reduce increasing poverty in the country.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Maurine Ofokansi confirmed that she learnt a lot through the training and was also empowered, even as she prayed that God to bless and give abundantly to Mrs Adewumi. Ofoknsi however appealed to the government to be taking care of the widows, by looking into their plights, saying that they suffer a lot, in order to make ends meet.
In his remark, the Chairman, Abuja Chapter of National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTs), Dr Edozie Ugwu hailed Adewumi for using her NGO to train and empower widows, graduates and the less privileged in the society. He promised to discuss with his executives and the National President of NANTs on how to assist Adewumi in her generosity and philanthropy, Ugwu therefore promised to direct his NANTs Cooperatives Committee Chairman, Valentine Nwodo to ensure that at least, about 50% out of 70% loans mapped out for women go to the widows, even as he prayed that God continues to bless and give abundantly to Mrs Adewumi. As a follow-up, Nwodo himself promised to ensure that they support serious ones among the widows.
The head of communications, NANTs, at the national level, Ayo Umaru who represented the National President, Barr. Ken Ukaoha assured the NGO and the widows of the support of the president and NANTs at national level.
