Helpline celebrates 20yrs of empowering less privileged
By Ukpono Ukpong
Helpline Foundation for the Needy Abuja has concluded arrangements to roll out the drums in celebration of its 20th anniversary.
It has lined up series of empowerment activities expected to commence 23rd June at the Abuja International Conference Centre to coincide with the International Widows Day.
According to a pre-event statement signed by the founder of the Foundation, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, and released to the media over the weekend, some of the activities include empowerment of 200 widows, specially recognition of 20 of them for withstanding all odds and breaking barriers to lead a respectful life.
Others are a launch of a book titled Rise from the Ashes: a Compelling Tale of Women Journeying through Widowhood, as well as an Ajadu show, which is a documentary that will bring to bare the ordeal of widows.
The book, also an expose on the harrowing experiences widows go through, is meant to erase wrong perceptions many hold about widows so they can be treated better.
Climax of the 20th anniversary celebration is slated for December with a series of activities for vulnerable people and special recognition of all those who kept faith in the Foundation over the years.
Helpline for the Needy Abuja was founded as a charity organisation in 2003 with the mission to advocate for and carry out the upliftment of women and children.
In its two decades of existence, the non-profit making organisation has been in the forefront, catering for vulnerable women, especially widows who are stereotyped and marginalized.
Thousands of widows have, therefore, benefited directly from the Foundation’s interventions through training, skill acquisition, and financial empowerment.
Its non-profit revolving loan scheme has impacted over 700 women across 30 different clusters in FCT, Kogi, Nassarawa, Kaduna, Niger and Enugu states.
The statement reveals that the Foundation is currently working on empowering widows through aggressive partnerships to enable donors and partner organizations to adopt some communities and fund the scheme.
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It adds: “Every year, we bring together widows and needy, especially during Christmas and Sallah, where they sing, dance, and are given foodstuffs and money. These gatherings help them socialise and provide relief for many of them.”
Recall that the International Widows Day is a day set aside by the United Nations Organization “To draw attention to the voices and experiences of widows and to galvanize the unique support that they need.”
This year’s Day is celebrated with the theme: “Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality”.
