Benin: The Edo Government empowered 365 widows nationwide on Monday with livelihood tools to commemorate International Widows Day.
The empowerment packages aim to equip widows with skills and resources to start and sustain small businesses.
Items distributed in Benin included grinding machines, sewing machines, popcorn machines, and 5kg gas cylinders.
Other items given out included 80-litre coolers with umbrellas and chairs, hand dryers, cash support, and point-of-sale (POS) machines from Opay and Zenith.
The programme’s theme was ‘Access to Justice and Empowerment for Vulnerable Widows.’
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Chief Olabisi Idaomi, said the initiative would help widows earn income and improve their well-being.
Idaomi added that Gov. Monday Okpebholo aimed to make widows self-reliant and economically productive by providing these tools.
She noted that the programme would positively impact the beneficiaries by helping them start and sustain their businesses.
According to her, it would also boost their confidence and enable them to contribute to family and community development.
She stressed that the empowerment scheme would become a regular initiative under Okpebholo’s administration to fight poverty.
She urged widows facing abuse or neglect to report to the ministry for support and intervention.
Idaomi also thanked Minister of Regional Development Abubakar Momoh and Mr Peter Dunia for their support.
Mrs Edesili Okpebholo-Anani, Coordinator in the Governor’s wife’s office, stressed the importance of supporting widows.
Represented by the wife of the Secretary to the State Government, Hajia Nimata Ikhilor, she condemned harmful widowhood practices.
She described such practices as “obnoxious and inhuman” and called for their complete eradication.
She appealed to all stakeholders to ensure widows are respected, empowered, and integrated into society.
The Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) Chairperson for Edo, Mrs Helen Agbonika, also pledged support.
She said her husband, CP Monday Agbonika, would use his office to combat domestic abuse against widows.
Mr Jolly Ogbeide, Chairman of Ikpoba-Okha Council, said his administration recognises and will address injustices faced by widows.
He promised the council’s readiness to collaborate with relevant groups to restore hope to affected widows.
An Evangelist, Ann Okoduga, recalled how her mother struggled to raise them after her father’s death.
She said her mother fetched firewood to sell, while some siblings served as house helps to survive.
Okoduga added she now feeds up to 350 widows annually and plans to host another outreach on Dec. 12.