In a bid to tackle the plight and pains of widows and children most of which are attributed to the ignoble and obnoxious traditional practices, the Felix King Charity Foundation has given out N2m start up capital to selected widows in Nigeria.
The foundation gave out N2m to over 10 widows to start up a business, and in addition, N24m has been made out for loan scheme to about 150 widows in Nigeria.
Speaking during the event ‘Right of a Woman,’ Felix King, owner of the foundation explained, “Felix king charity foundation has combined its concrete help to thousands of widows and their children through our intervention programmes.”
The intervention programmes include health services, housing, food support and economic empowerment, widows’ start up a business (WISBIS) with pushing for the society to respect the rights of widows.
“These widows are physically molested and are exposed to sexual abuses. Widows are believed to be cursed and are treated as such. They are also being accused of witchcraft and consequently given punishments ranging from ostracization to total banishment.
Therefore, I have set out on a journey to bring smiles to the faces of our suffering widows, step by step, day by day, I move to the next level of my dream,” King added.
He said, “we have this initiative to work alongside like thinking members of the society to reach out to those our society has conspired with customs to deprive. We are aware of the enormity of this challenge. We are aware that our intention may at the end of the day be just “a drop in the ocean.”
Elizabeth Uyinmwen Ativie, Speaker, Edo house of assembly said the suppression of women is deeply rooted in our culture and tradition stemming from the alleged second-rate status of women. Based on these, women are made to suffer double jeopardy of losing their husbands, going through some excruciating cultural rites of proving their innocence in the death of their husbands.
“Any culture that disinherits a daughter from her father’s estate or wife from her husband’s property by reason of God instituted gender differential should be punitively dealt with,” Ativie said.
Ativie stressed that no matter the circumstances of the birth of a female child, such a child is entitled to an inheritance from her late father’s estate.
Chinyere Okeke
