CFWRI: A passion for widows and orphans

THAT widows and orphans go through a lot in our society is simply saying the fact. Upon the loss of their spouse, many women will come to the realization that they don’t have the economic power to keep the home front.

In the African setting, and in Nigeria in particular, the economic power so much dwells in the man, that women are only meant to take care of the home. So when a man dies, the woman who has not been economically empowered will find it difficult to survive, and as such, she finds herself doing those things she ought not to do.

It is as a result of this that Alhaja Fadhilah Omotunde Balogun, a widow herself, decided to come up with a foundation, the Channel for Widow Relief Initiative (CFWRI), to empower widows so that they would be able to take care of themselves and their children.

The foundation, which has been in existence for the past seven years, has trained no fewer than 400 widows and orphans in fashion designing and poultry keeping. It has also assisted several others with start-up grants for their small-scale businesses.

Just last week, while celebrating its seventh anniversary, the foundation opened its clinic for widows and orphans, which the founder, Alhaja Balogun, said was important because several widows don’t have the financial capacity to patronize public and private health facilities.

Alhaja Balogun said, “widows live in abject poverty, and I know this through my personal experience as a widow. This has, therefore, brought out my passion in empowering widows. Most widows are suffering because they were not working while their husbands were alive.

“Others simply have their husbands’ estates taken from them by the man’s family, thereby leaving nothing to the woman and her children.

“As a widow myself, I understand everything widows go through, and that is why I said I would support widows with everything God has blessed me with.

“On the clinic, it will make it easier for widows to have access to healthcare at subsidised rates. Many widows prefer to self-medicate because they don’t have the money to go to the clinic when they are ill. We are aware of this, and that is why we have come up with the clinic.

“However, everything we are doing come from donations from members of the public who also feel for widows and orphans. We, however, need more support from more members of the public, corporate organizations and the government.

“We appreciate the support of the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Development, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation. The commissioner and other principal officers of the ministry have been supporting us since we established the foundation seven years ago. They have also been attending our programmes to give us moral support,” Alhaja Balogun said.

While speaking on the occasion, a director in the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Development, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Christianah Popoola, who represented the commissioner, Mrs Atinuke Osunkoya, commended CFWRI and Alhaja Balogun for their initiative in empowering widows.

Mrs Popoola said at the event last year, a fashion designing centre was commissioned where widows and orphans were to be trained free of charge.

“This year again, we are commissioning a clinic. This shows the passion Alhaja Balogun has for widows and orphans.

“We are happy for what she is doing, and CFWRI is one of the most active non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the state.

“I want to assure that the state government will continue to support CFWRI in its activities as it strives in its efforts to better the lives of widows and orphans, “ Mrs Popoola said.

Earlier, the chairperson of CFWRI’s board of directors, Alhaja Mojisola Salau, had called on well-meaning individuals to support the work of the foundation.

She said the CFWRI needed a bus, as well as its permanent location, “and all these won’t just fall down from heaven. We need the support of everyone so that widows can have better lives.”

One of the highlights of this year’s celebration was the graduation of a fashion designing student, Mrs Ramat Abiodun, who was given a brand new sewing maching, as well as start-up grant for her business.

Ten other widows were also given grants for their small scale businesses, which Alhaja Balogun said would enable them have sources of livelihood.

There was also free health check for widows, as well as training on the importance of general health check by Mrs Rukayat Olubunmi Popoola, an assistant director of nursing at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.