No fewer than 50 widows including wives of Journalists who died in active service have been empowered in Ekiti.
The empowerment program was an initiative of a Non Governmental Organization Gender Mobile, in conjunction with Make me Elegant Empowerment training centre and in partnership with Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), Ekiti state Council.
The 2-Day empowerment program comprised skill acquisition training and provision of start up materials.
The beneficiaries were trained in areas like Shoe making (beaded slippers) Wig making, Paper craft and leather slippers.
The Executive Director of Gender Mobile, Miss Omowumi Ogunrotimi said the beneficiaries would be able to stand on their owns and train others.
She added that the empowerment program is scheduled to commemorate the International Widows Day globally celebrated every 23rd of June.
Widows occupy the integral part of the society they are vulnerable, they are very important in the society.
“We organized the empowerment program for them to be able to stand on their owns and support their families, because its a common belief that if you empower a woman,you have empowered the whole world, after the skill acquisition training they would receive Start Up Kit ,while Gender Mobile would set up Digital Marketing for them
The Director of Gender Mobile noted that the NGO will monitor the progress of the beneficiaries ,so that in subsequent empowerment programs, they would be invited to train other new participants .This according to her would enable the widows to transmit the skills to others.
She therefore enjoined the participants to make the best use of the program.
Founder of Make Me Elegant, Mrs Kehinde Adelaja Okoafor said such empowerment initiative is germane as welfare of widows in the society is Paramount considering the hardship they faced even at times from in-laws in their bids to cater for their children.
She added that “to be self employed in most cases,idea is needed, with this program, the widows have been able to gain a lot to enable them start something”
A beneficiary, Mrs Florence Owolabi appreciated the initiative and glad to be a participant.
She said,”I have gained a lot on how to make shoe”
Another beneficiary Mrs Babatunde Esther said “it was a very good programme ,it would make us self employed, it would also help us a lot to be able to finance our family”
The Chairman Ekiti Council of Nigeria Union of Journalist(,NUJ)Comrade Rotimi Ojomoyela who was represented at the event by his Secretary, Kayode Babatuyi appreciated the initiative of the NGO, Ojomoyela described the event as first of its kind in training and empowerment of wives of late Journalists.
“Journalism is a tasking profession and nothing to show for it .With this kind of program, where widows of Journalists are being trained and empowered, they would be self reliant.”
