International Widows Day: Recognize the Forgotten Minority.

The United Nations launched the day in 2010 to raise awareness of the violation of human rights that widows suffer in many countries following the death of their spouse. 

In many countries with traditional societies, women find themselves left in poverty when their husbands die. In fact, in some places in Africa, the death of the husband before the wife is a serious crime on the part of the woman. She must undergo cleansing and rituals to ascertain her innocence.

The bereaved woman is considered an 'outsider' relegated to the minority in the scheme of things without the 'covering' of a man.

Plus, there are no support systems to support or protect the rights of these women.

Here are a few facts and quotes about Widows around the world.

• In some countries, widows are forced to take part in rituals, such as drinking the water used to wash the body of their dead husband or have sex with an in-law or stranger.

• It is estimated that 7 to 16% of all adult women in the world are widows.

• For many women, becoming a widow does not just mean the heartache of losing a husband, but often losing everything else as well. – Cherie Blair, wife of former Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

• Property seizures and evictions by the late husband’s family are widespread in many places including Nigeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Botswana, India, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe

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• A significant number of girls are widowed in childhood - a reflection of the prevalence of child marriage in developing countries and the custom of marrying off young girls to much older men. 

(Source: World Widows Report published by the Loomba Foundation)

International widows day works to encourage action on achieving full rights for widows.

 

The ultimate goal of the day is to develop resources and policies to empower widows. And enforce their rights to have equal rights and access to education, work, healthcare.

To live lives free of violence and abuse. Enabling them to create a life for themselves and their children following the death of their husband thereby, ending a circle of poverty and abuse.

(https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2011/6/international-widows-day-23-june-2011)

In consonance with the above, Tabitha New Life Foundation is poised to pursue its vision in this course.

Our determination is to alleviate the suffering and unnecessary hardship encountered by this forgotten minority in our society.

We have put together a program to commemorate this year's widows day by empowering a number of widows in various aspects of skills such as giving out sewing machines, popcorn making machines, grinding machines to already trained women. 

We thank and celebrate every big-hearted individual/organization, who have partnered with us in our shared vision.

However, a number of items are yet to be received or acquired.

In all honesty, our partners, helpers, friends who are the financiers of these projects have gone above and beyond to support us. But the task before us is enormous and we can not afford to fail. 

Notwithstanding, we are still calling out to Helpers of destiny. 

Compassionate individuals of like minds to please help us in making this a reality as we need your contributions to buy the remaining items namely: more sewing machines, more grinding machines, more popcorn machines.

God will not withhold any good thing from you to prosper. Would you be open to working with our foundation to remember the widows in our society?