Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative has presented bank cheques of N100,000 to 10 widows in Bauchi State to empower them to pay house rent after the demise of their husbands.
Our correspondent reports that the programme was supported by Modern Shelter Systems and Services.
Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries in Bauchi, the coordinator of the association Amina Jibrin, raised concerns over the alarming rate of 258 million widows around the world.
To her, widows after the death of their husbands undergo a crisis finding a befitting shelter to accommodate their family, hence, the decision of Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative to support widows with funds to pay their rents.
She said the plights of widows historically remained unseen, leading them to endure untold hardship.
Amina explained that armed conflict, displacement, migration and the COVID-19 pandemic have left many women newly widowed with many others whose spouses died or disappeared.
She argued that the unique experiences as well as the socioeconomic dynamics of widows require amplifying with their voices, to sustain their lives.
The district head of Bauchi, Nuru Jumba, advocated for community support initiatives to improve the welfare of widows and women in society.
The district head who was represented by Makaman Bauchi, Ahmad Muhammad, sought for sustained empowerment of widows to give them a sense of belonging.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to our reporter expressed their happiness with the gesture.
