MTN Foundation at the weekend joined in calling for recognition of
widows’ right in Nigeria. The Executive Secretary of MTN Foundation, Ms.
Nonny Ugboma at a press briefing to mark the 2013 International Widows’
Day said MTN joined the call for recognition of widows dignity because
of its belief in protecting and respecting the rights of widows,
irrespective of their culture, country or religion.
Citing a recent UN report on widows, she lamented that over 115
million widows are currently living in extreme poverty worldwide, along
with their children. She however said that the number was expected to
rise due to the incessant cases of armed conflicts that often lead to
more male causalities.
She said that the foundation had begun intervention by organizing stakeholders’ workshop on widows’ concerns in 2011.
The event according to her, led to the conception of the MTNF
Widows’ Empowerment Scheme, MTNF-WES, which provides business management
skills and offered equipment support to Nigerian widows, who have no
means of livelihood. Those class of widows are selected from the six
geopolitical zones of the country, even as she noted that about 300
widows have so far been selected as beneficiaries of the scheme.
The selected women over the next few months are expected to receive formal training and be presented with their tools of trade.
‘‘MTN Foundation is committed to providing opportunities for widows
to increase access to sustainable livelihood. We believe that if given
the opportunity, a widow can be a source of inspiration to others and
also make valuable contributions to the development of society,’’ she
said.
Meanwhile, the minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Zainab Maina said
that federal government was commemorating the widows day in order to
give special attention to million of widows in Nigeria who are exposed
to several dehumanising practices across the country.
