The Platinum Widows and Children Support Initiative (PWCSI) has disbursed over half a million naira to widows and orphans in Abuja to cushion the effect of the current economic realities on them.
The initiative, at its inauguration of Trustees and maiden disbursement to beneficiaries in Abuja, gave out cheques for business startups, upgrade and expansion.
The foundation’s chairperson and an FCT High Court Judge, Justice Safurat Adepoju, said the gesture was to empower widows, who are now the breadwinners in their various homes.
She said a lot of incidences had given rise to the numbers of widows and orphans in the country, hence the need to empower them financially for them to look after their children.
“The initiators of the programme deemed it fit that women should be empowered to take-up the responsibility of taking care of themselves and their children that had been thrown on them as a result of their husbands’ death,” she said.
“The economic situation of the country is so appalling that when the two parents are alive, they still struggle, how much more when one of them is gone,” Adepoju added.
In his lecture, the Chief Imam of Nawair-ud-deen Society of Nigeria, (Abuja Chapter), Dr Nurain Dindi, said the need to empower widows became imperative owing to the socio-economic challenges they face after the demise of their husbands.
He urged the beneficiaries to use the grants for the purpose for which it is meant and strive to also be givers of grants.
“I will urge you to use whatever that is given to you judiciously. Use wealth to create wealth so that you will not remain a perpetual beggar,” Imam Dindi, who doubles as the Legal adviser of the Initiative advised.
One of the beneficiaries, Amina Idris, expressed appreciation to the foundation for the kind gesture and prayed for abundant rewards to their benefactors.
Other members of the Trustees are Yusuf Oriyomi, Vice Chairman, Rukayat Dindi, Secretary, Muritala Dabiri, Welfare Officer, Sister Basirat Oyebanjo, Barr. Rukayat Bello-Animasaun, Financial Secretary, Sister Dhakiroh Oriyomi, Chief Strategic Officer, Sister Hauwau Ottaru and Abdur-Rahman Balogun