Jubilation among widows and orphans in Kaduna, as they take possession of 100 units of houses gifted by Adache Women Housing and Empowerment Society in the state.

Narrating the reasons behind the gesture of embarking on the free housing project, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Adashe Women Housing and Empowerment Society, Dr. Umma Sani, recounted her difficult childhood as an orphan and the repeated trauma of homelessness, which inspired her lifelong dream to build free houses for widows and orphans.

That dream materialised in Kaduna as she handed over keys and allocation letters for the 100 newly completed housing units to beneficiaries in Rigachikun, Igabi Local Government Area of the state.

Besides, Dr. Sani told journalists after the ceremony of handover of the apartments to the beneficiaries that the same housing projects will be replicated in Ibadan and Calabar.

She explained that the initiative, built under a collaboration involving Adashe Women Housing and Empowerment Society, Family Homes Funds, and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, is one of the flagship social housing projects aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Sani said the project was not just a physical shelter but a pathway to dignity and stability for widows raising children without financial or emotional support.

She explained that the partnership with Family Homes Funds and the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning was essential in executing the project at the scale it achieved.

“Today, 100 women have been given more than a home; they have been given shelter, peace, and a serene environment where they can raise their children,” she remarked.

“We collaborated with Family Homes Funds; they are wonderful people. Adashe Women Housing and Empowerment Society is the founder of the idea, but Family Homes partnered with us. The Ministry of Budget and Planning, under the Honourable Minister, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, also supported us, and that is how this project came to life. We give glory to God,” she said.

The CEO stressed further that the housing scheme was not a standalone charity but part of a broader empowerment programme designed to make widows self-reliant.

“We empowered them with starter packs and even provided pens for them to begin their businesses. The idea is not just to give houses but to give them the tools to stand on their feet,” she added.

She continued that she was satisfied with the level of commitment and enthusiasm displayed by the beneficiaries during the training sessions.

“The widows completed their training successfully, and today they have collected their keys and allocation letters. It is a wonderful day for all of us. We are very happy and grateful,” she said.

According to her, the 100-unit project is only a pilot phase, as her organisation plans to replicate the initiative in all 36 states of the federation.

“This is the pilot project. We want to go around the 36 states of the Federation. Our goal is to ensure that widows and orphans across Nigeria can have a safe place to call home,” she said.

Asked what inspired her to embark on the ambitious housing project, Sani became emotional as she narrated her childhood experiences, which she described as both painful and formative.

Sani, who is the last of eleven children, said the family lived in constant fear of eviction because they relied on unstable incomes and struggled to pay rent.

She recalled how the family was repeatedly mocked and stigmatised because of their situation.

“There’s a history behind this,” she began. “I was brought up as an orphan. I lost my dad when I was one year old. Growing up, the biggest challenge my family faced was housing.

“I am number 11 out of 11 children, the last born. I faced countless challenges. Many times, I would come back home from school and find our belongings thrown outside. The house would be locked because we couldn’t pay the monthly rent.”

Sani said she initially thought she would only be able to build a handful of homes. But destiny, she added, took the vision far beyond her expectations.

“I thought I would start with maybe three, five, or ten houses,” she said. “But God made it possible for us to give out 100 houses for free today. I gave the land, and we partnered with Family Homes and the Ministry of Budget and Planning. Allah made it possible. Alhamdulillah.”

Meanwhile, the representative of the Kaduna State Government and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing Development, Shehu Salisu, said both the federal and state governments were committed to providing affordable housing to alleviate the suffering of the less privileged.

Salisu urged the beneficiaries, especially widows, to maintain the newly completed houses, noting that proper upkeep would encourage the government to expand similar interventions.

He said, “If the facility is properly maintained, it will encourage the government to do more. The government will be encouraged to replicate this. Let’s live peacefully.”

Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director of Family Homes Funds Limited, Abdul Muktar, urged the beneficiaries to embrace a strong maintenance culture, noting that housing remains one of the most fundamental needs of life.

“We are quite sure you will maintain the facility,” he said. “We are happy to be here, courtesy of President Bola Tinubu and the Finance Minister and his counterpart in the Budget and Planning Ministry.”

Muktar disclosed that Family Homes Funds Limited is executing similar social housing projects across the country, including in Ibadan and Calabar.

He stated that the project in Ibadan targets the families of Nigeria’s fallen military heroes, while the Calabar project is designed to support the less privileged.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Sarah Owojere, described her allocation as “a dream come true,” saying the intervention has rescued her family from years of hardship.

Owojere, a widow and mother of four, told newsmen that she had lived in unsafe conditions for years and had endured repeated flooding in her former residence.

“I am very happy and appreciative. God has really granted my heart’s desires because the house I’m living in is not really good.