One Woman, a proposition for women by Sterling Bank Plc, has partnered with the International Women’s Society (IWS) to commemorate International Widows Day (IWD) in Nigeria.
International Widows Day was created by the United Nations (UN) to draw attention to widows’ voices and experiences and galvanise the exceptional support they need. The theme of this year’s IWD is, “There is a day for that.”
Ifunanya Ugboko, head of the One Woman team at Sterling Bank, addressed the widows and other stakeholders at an event to commemorate the day in Lagos. She explained that the One Woman Proposition is gender-based banking, through which the bank identifies and offers bespoke solutions to problems that affect Nigerian women.
According to her, “We have recognised that a lot of women live their lives trying to satisfy others and retire into poverty at old age as unhappy women.”
She noted that women need to be more intentional about themselves.
Ugboko, who assured the women that there was certainly light at the end of the tunnel, also urged them to seek solace in their children because they would bring back the sparkle they thought had left them following the demise of their husbands.
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The Head of One Woman noted that women go through three stages after losing their husbands: the grief stage, the growth stage, and the grace stage. She encouraged widows in attendance to show kindness to other widows as women rise by lifting each other.
Additionally, she advised them to view Sterling Bank as their partner that will handhold them through their growth stage by empowering them financially, adding that financial empowerment is one of the greatest assets a woman requires.
Ugboko went on to say that the bank would help them open and run business accounts that would give them direct access to the market, three years of no-cost banking services, and distributorship and asset financing loans.
She added that the bank has partnered with insurance and pension organisations to help with insurance solutions for their businesses and provide them with pension services to ensure they have something set aside for their retirement.
In her welcome address, the President of IWS, Ifeoma Monye, said the organisation remains committed to empowering women to achieve their full rights in society.
According to her, statistics show that there are more than 15 million widows with more than 21 million children in Nigeria, adding that IWS wants to support and empower them for tomorrow.
The highlight of the event was the empowerment of 50 widows with cash gifts, while others went home with various products.
The IWS was founded in 1957 in Lagos by a group of international public-spirited women.
