..says individuals’ widow’s mite for the needy ‘ll help reduce poverty level
The First Lady of Ondo State, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, today, reached out to widows under the care of Olives Widows Foundation, as part of her commitment towards lessening the hardship of widows across the state.
To this end, she donated a cash sum of hundred thousand naira and goodies bags containing food and clothing items to the foundation, being a part of her annual demonstration of love toway widows, to mark this year’s international widows day.
Presenting the items and the cheque to the Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Administration who doubles as the Personal Assistant to the First Lady, Mrs. Lizzy Akpan, stated that the gesture was to elevate the status of widows across the state.
She averred that, the First Lady’s passion for widows was demonstrated through her initiative, Ondo Widow’s Care, under which over 25,000 widows benefited from the annual distribution of palliatives, which started in the year 2020 to cushion the effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on widows.
She hinted that, the Ondo Widow’s Care initiative had made it possible for the state to have a data base of Widows across the 18 local government areas, as widows kept registering on the website, day in day out.
She said: ” Through this initiative, we’ve been able to have a data base of widows in Ondo state, so that if there’s anything from government for widows, they will go through the data base. The data base is being updated every day, as I speak, people are still keying in their details for the widow’s palliatives”.
The Ondo First Lady, therefore, lauded the management of Olive Widows Foundation for catering to the welfare of widows, noting that helping government by reaching out to the vulnerable groups would go a long way to alleviate poverty in our society.
Responding to the gesture, the CEO of the foundation, Mr. Mobolaji Johnson Adeoye, appreciated the wife of the governor for prioritizing the welfare of widows in the state.
He noted that, it took a passionate person to support the vision of putting smiles on faces of the needy, which she had demonstrated through various initiatives.
“I have always been following her programmes and that is why I appreciate her today and will continue to appreciate her. This will really go a long way to touch their lives. We will share the money to the disadvantaged ones among them because there are some that, if you see them, you will pity them.
“We appreciate Her Excellency for this gesture, may God continue to be with her”, he said.
By Mary Agidi
Special Assistant to the Governor on Media
(Office of the First Lady)
June 24, 2022
JATS Online News 