Category: UPLIFTing Widows

As part of measures to reach out and lend a helping hand to those in need, Mrs. Amosun organised a three day skill acquisition workshop for 200 widows in April 2013. The workshop, which took place at the Office of the Wife of the Former Governor located at the South-West Resource Centre, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, was aimed at empowering the widows to be self sufficient income earners. The programme was specially put together for the needy widows, where they were put through the process of soap and cream making. “The training was organized to uplift women that were going through financial hardship due to the loss of their spouse, for the purpose of empowering them to become self reliant and self Sufficient. “We initiated the training workshop to enable them earn a living, boost their economic power and help them cater for their children and other dependents,” she said. The Lead Trainer, a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mr. Okikiola Victor said the vocational training would afford the beneficiaries the opportunity to learn about soap & cream making, and its applications, advising them to practice what they had learnt in the course of the training in order to be self- reliant. Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Oluremi Badejo commended the wife of the governor for investing in the lives of the needy widows by organising workshop in order to help them to be self-employed, pledging they would utilise the training programme and practice what they had been taught to improve the income. “The workshop was very educative, it is a rare opportunity and I believe nobody can take away the knowledge we have gained from us. Through this empowerment program, we will be gainfully employed and will be able to sustain ourselves and our children without having to rely on family members and in- laws.” The widows were drawn from the 20 Local Government areas in the State. They were taught how to make liquid and bar soaps, body cream and disinfectant, and they were empowered with token monetary gifts by the wife of the former governor to enable them start up their business immediately.

As part of the activities marking her birthday anniversary,the Wife of the Former Governor of Ogun State, Mrs Olufunso Amosun organized an empowerment programme tagged: “UPLITing the Windows”for the widows in her State. At the programme, 200 widows from various walks of life,some painfully young and some old,were given business start up items on the spot to set up small scale businesses free of charge. Items ranged from Salon Starter Kits(Standing Dryers, Roller Trolleys + Washing Stands), Table Top Gas Cookers,Sewing Machines, Cartons of Pasta, Boxes of Noodles, Cartons of Juice,Water or Soft drinks with Coolers,Bag of Rice and so on.Beach Umbrellas to serve as sale staffs were also given to the widows. May and Baker were on ground with their team to register any interested widow bonafide May & Baker Distributors,wavering all usual cumbersome requirements or monetary deposits. Members of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria were also on ground to give all the widows general health checks. 10 Widows each were selected from Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Catholic Women Organisation (CWO), Nasrul-lahi Faith Society (NAFSAT), Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA),Immigration Officers Wives Association (IMMOWA), Nigeria Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA), Girl Guides, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools of Nigeria (ASSUT), Customs Officers Wives Association (COWA), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Home Economics Teachers Association of Nigeria (HETAN). Ogun State Cooperative Federation (OGSCOFED), NACCIMA Business Women Group NAWORG, National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Mission to Rebuild Ogun State (MITROS) among others. Some were nominated based on circumstance, whilst others were brought in by each Chairperson of each of the 20 LGAs in the states.