Walk With Widows Initiative

In today's world, widowhood is immersed in stigma that it has become social death with surviving spouse and children thrown into uncertainty or abject poverty. In many cultures, a woman is defined by her relationship; she is either a daughter, or a wife. Outside of both, she is treated as an outcast. This has led to immeasurable abuse and denial of assets which positions her to be inherited.

In 2011, the United Nations having recognised widow abuse as a global issue declared June 23 as International Widows’ Day. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was quoted assaying, “No woman should lose her status, livelihood or property when her husband dies", yet millions of widows across the continents face all forms of abuse.

Walk With Widows Initiative, an offshoot of Bola Memorial Watch sponsored by Cares Global Network is focused on the group is the holistic wellness,wealth and wisdom of widows. It was founded by Dr. Omolola Omoteso. The platform is guided by policies or rules of engagement laid down by the administrators of the group. This help members to mitigate contention and focus on the vision and mission of the initiative. 

Unlike other groups, Walk With Widows is action oriented. The board members coordinate members to focus on three cardinal points — enlivening widows, enlightening people and empowering stakeholders to demand that the government through the executive, legislature and judiciary protect widows from stigma, fraud, discrimination, dehumanisation, destitution and disinheritance. 

The overall vision is to End Widow Abuse and seek Justice for Widows. Clearly, the group drums the following: 

There is nothing shameful about widowhood. 

There is nothing inappropriate about helping widows or widowers.

There is nothing disconcerting about calling out fraudsters.

Widowhood is neither a stigma nor a curse, it is a call.

Widowhood can happen to ANYONE! 

Many widows have been beaten down and their silence is usually caused by the barbaric cultures, which includes fraud, discrimination, dehumanisation and disinheritance that has eaten deep into the core of minds. WWWI was founded to stand against such cultures to emancipate the widows and by extension widowers and orphans as well. 

Top rated consultants, counsellors, lawyers, community health practitioners and mentors are invited on board to help members become achievers and programmes take place on the group to assist widows, widowers, orphans and less privileged. Widows and non-widows (male and female) who believes in God are accepted to the group as it was founded on Christian ethics. 

WWWI continues to seek partnership with civil societies, private and government agencies.

The group is listed as the second widows' group that works with the Ministry of Women Affairs in Minna thanks to the hardwork and diligence of the board. Energies are combined to ensure that the awareness created by the group creates a ripple effect that would make FG—NASS—Judiciary to come up with an AFFIRMATIVE ACTION to #ENDWIDOWABUSE or enact the Widows Rights Bill. 

Various activities takes place on the platform daily: 

Sunday: Thanksgiving 

Monday:Pray Praise Assembly

Tuesday: Divine Connection (Relationship)

Wednesday: Consultancy + Career

Thursday: Clinic, Counselling and Advocacy

Friday: Colloquium (Training)

Saturday: Community Engagement (owambe, story time, wetin sele)

Skills are shared and acquired on the group, and opportunity to get personal mentor on the group is available. Testimonies from clients and counsellees who were saved from many pits including loveless marriage, purposeless lives, suicide, childlessness and parental crisis have been shared on the platform.To encourage members, awards are given to active and hardworking members in order to motivate members of the group.

A typical example is the story shared by Mrs. Fatima Shonubi (Haruna) who suffered from depression after becoming a widow with four children or adorables as she calls them. She was invited by a friend to attend BMW-Cares Walk With Widows Colloquium where she had a life changing chance meeting with the Chair. She was counselled by Dr. Omolola Omoteso not to stay idle because her eyes will live to see tomorrow's joy, that's if she treats herself well. During the programme she got tips from Dr. Omolola Omoteso and other speakers. She was greatly inspired; when she got home she began a laundry business. She equally attended catering classes by other agency. Now she is a widow looking forward to a better future. She is not a depressed widow anymore. 

Walk WithWidows is based presently in Nigeria and USA. The group can be reached for sponsorship, partnership or membership via contact form on carescoalition.webs.com, DM on Facebook or annecares@hotmail.com. 

Written by Miss Victoria Obey. Edited by Dr. Omolola Omoteso