Women seek governments support for widows, indigents

Women under the auspices of the International Women Society (IWS), have called on the governments at all levels to give more attention to the widows and indigent children in the society, by investing more in Nigeria’s educational sector and make education affordable.

According to the group, if governments would invest more in the nation’s education system and reduce the cost of education, widows would be able to sponsor their wards through school, and indigent children would have the opportunity of being educated.

Specifically, the 29th President, IWS Nigeria, Mrs Margret Olaide Sasegbon, said though the federal and some state governments have begun to invest in the education sector, a lot more still needs to be done to alleviate most widows from poverty and give better livelihood to their children.

Speaking at an event in Lagos, to celebrate the widows and children, she said the N10,000 being given to some widows and the less privileged persons in Nigeria by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, to support their small businesses is not enough to alleviate them from poverty and keep them in business.

She said: “If we as individual women is supporting these widows and the less privileged with N10,000 for trade and empowering them with skills through skill acquisition programmes, N10,000 is not what the government should be giving to them. We have been calling on the governments and fortunately, one or two of them are listening and they support us when we knock on their doors, but a lot still needs to be done.

“If you check well, nobody cares for the widows. So every year, we raise money to help the widows. We give them sewing machines and we fund them in whatever business they want to do. We are not limiting ourselves to just the women around here. We are stretching our arms everywhere and believes that the governments should do more.”

She urged widows to visit the group’s skill acquisition centre located at the group’s headquarter in Lagos, to acquire skills for free.

In her remarks, 62nd President, IWS, Nkoli Ogbolu, said an enabling environment, and a good education policy would help lift the nation’s education sector, noting that partnerships between the governments and the private sector, especially the non governmental agencies like IWS, will go a long way in lifting the widows and the indigent children.

“IWS is experienced in early year education. There are so many people in the government today who have passed through this school and many of them are in the private sector.

“The governments could certainly do more, though there are more oraganisations now that are dedicated to helping the widows. The governments should do more in helping the widows because at the end of the day, the whole goal is to alleviate poverty.”