The Nikki Udezue Foundation has empowered 40 widows in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, with cash grants, food items, clothing, shoes, bags and household supplies as part of efforts to improve their livelihoods and promote economic self-reliance.
The empowerment programme, held under the foundation’s Udoh Widow Empowerment Programme (TUWEP), was sponsored by the Udoh family in memory of their late mother, Mrs Patience Friday Udoh, to mark the fourth anniversary of her passing.
Each beneficiary received a cash grant of ₦30,000, along with food items, detergents, and other essential household items, to support their families and strengthen their small businesses.
Speaking during the outreach yesterday, the Founder of the Nikki Udezue Foundation, Nkiru Udezue, said the initiative underscores the foundation’s commitment to supporting vulnerable women and restoring hope to widows facing economic hardship.
We noted that many Nigerians are grappling with current economic challenges, and we stressed that bringing relief and hope to widows remains one of the foundation’s core objectives.
“So many people in this country are going through difficult times. Putting smiles on the faces of widows and vulnerable Nigerians is something we always look forward to. Seeing them move from tears and pain to joy and hope is truly inspiring for our team,” she said.
Udezue explained that TUWEP was established to provide practical support to widows who lost their husbands unexpectedly and have little or no means of livelihood.
According to her, beneficiaries were carefully identified through community-based assessments rather than through open registration, to ensure that assistance reached those most in need.
“We don’t just invite everyone. We go into communities to identify widows who genuinely need support, especially those raising young children without any stable source of income. We want this support to help them rebuild their lives,” she said.
She urged the beneficiaries to invest the cash grants in small businesses to become financially independent and eventually support others in similar circumstances.
“The idea is not just to receive assistance but to grow to the point where you can also become a giver. We want to see these businesses succeed so that other donors will be encouraged to continue supporting similar initiatives,” she added.
The foundation also appealed to governments, corporate organisations, and well-meaning Nigerians to partner with the foundation to expand its humanitarian interventions nationwide.
She disclosed that although the foundation has largely been self-funded for nearly four years, its commitment to transparency and accountability has continued to attract support from individuals and families.
“This programme was made possible by the generosity of the Udo family. We remain transparent in all our operations because transparency builds trust. We call on governments, multinational companies and other Nigerians to support initiatives like this because no single person can meet all the needs in our communities,” she said.
In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of the Udoh family, Mrs Mary Udoh said the empowerment programme was organised to honour the memory of their late mother, Mrs Patience Udoh, who was renowned for her compassion, generosity and commitment to helping others.
She said the family chose to celebrate her legacy by supporting widows, expressing hope that the intervention would improve the beneficiaries’ livelihoods and strengthen their resilience.
“Our mother was a woman of great faith, love and kindness. Although she is no longer with us physically, her legacy lives on. By supporting widows, we are continuing the compassion she showed during her lifetime,” she said.
She encouraged the beneficiaries to remain hardworking, hopeful and prayerful despite the challenges they face.
The programme also featured motivational sessions during which participants were encouraged to invest wisely, embrace self-reliance and use the support as a stepping stone towards financial independence.
One of the beneficiaries, Margaret Osita, expressed appreciation to the foundation and the Udoh family, describing the intervention as timely and impactful.
