By Our Correspondent
A Non Governmental Organisation, Royal Ambassadors Charity Home, RACH, has promised to undertake regular empowerment of Widows and People Living With Disabilities through skills acquisition and free medical health services.
The Executive Director of RACH, Amb. Jonathan David Okwudiri, disclosed this during the inauguration of the Abuja executive working team of the charity home, on Saturday.
“Our focus will be on the Orphans, Widows, Persons with Disabilities, Unemployed Youths and needy in the society”, Okwudiri stated.
He appealed to the government at all levels, corporate organisations, Civil Society groups and individuals to support the empowerment programmes of the Organisation targeted at the needy.
“To this end, the Royal Ambassadors Charity Home had registered a multi-purpose Cooperative Society to grant loans and other empowerment packages to its members across the country.
Okwudiri then called for an end to harmful cultural practices against Widows in the society.
He said that the maltreatment of widows and other vulnerable women in the society should be stopped to enable them exercise their rights as citizens.
According to him, “those perpetrating the acts were insensitive to the harm done to widows under the guise of culture and tradition”.
The Executive Director expressed concern that the victims have been left to suffer in silence by the society.
“It is a debt society owes itself as a mutually functional growing unit to protect the vulnerable ones among them.
“I have discovered that in Nigeria, widows are neglected, victimised, intimidated and humiliated,” he added.
“Our culture and society are not favourable to them at all. The worst part of it all is that when any widow doesn’t have male children, the relatives of her late husband gives her trouble.
“They disturb and frustrate such widow by trying to possess what their late brother acquired before his death.”
Okwudiri said that the organisation has assembled a team of advocates and human right activists to advocate for the rights of widows, including their protection and welfare.
He said that the advocacy would include pushing for a law by the National Assembly to protect the rights and privileges of widows.
“We are very much aware that there is no specific law in Nigeria that protects widow’s right unlike the People with Disabilities and children that have laws passed for their protection,” he noted.
In a welcome address, the Women Leader, Mrs Chinwendu Ejemegwa, advised members to uphold and promote the goals of the noble organisation, adding that it has come to stay in all Area Councils in Abuja and beyond.
In her speech, the National Coordinator of People with Disabilities, Miss Dorcas Ameh, who authored a book, “The Dramatic Call and The Fall of King Saul”, called on the public to stop labeling the PWDs, but support them to be self reliant.
Speaking on behalf of the newly inaugurated Abuja Chapter executive working team, the Coordinator, Amb. Goodluck Barth Ikiebe, appreciated the leadership of the organisation for giving them the opportunity to serve for the betterment of the needy in Society.
Ikiebe lauded the organisation boss for his doggedness, persiverance and hard work, assuring that they would be diligent in realising the objectives of the organisation.
Our Correspondent reports that the Royal Ambassadors Charity Home was set up in 2011 to help, care and empower orphans, widows, PwDs, abandoned children, destitutes, the poor and other vulnerable persons. It is currently operational in 28 States in Nigeria.
