As the global community observes International Widows Day, the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, SEOF, joins the United Nations and civil society organizations worldwide to amplify the voices of widows and address the systemic challenges they face.
The Foundation also made a request for a Collective Call To Honour, Protect, And Empower Widows Worldwide
This year’s commemoration comes at a critical juncture, with recent data revealing that over 258 million widows globally continue to endure disproportionate levels of poverty, discrimination, and social exclusion.
In Nigeria, where cultural practices often compound these challenges, the plight of widows remains particularly acute, with many facing disinheritance, homelessness, and stigmatization following the loss of their spouses.
The Founder Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, Sir Dr. Emeka Offor has enjoined Nigerians to remember these special ones, touch their lives in meaningful ways and make their welfare the Central Focus of this year’s Celebration.
He recalled that SEOF has been at the forefront of transforming this narrative through its groundbreaking Touch-A-Life Housing Project conceived in 2020 by SEOF’s Vice President Dr. Mrs. Adaora Offor Esq. The initiative was born from encounters with the devastating realities faced by these widows.
Consequently what began as a response to immediate shelter needs has evolved into a comprehensive empowerment program that has delivered 21 fully furnished homes to deserving widows.
To commemorate this year’s celebration, SEOF has concluded arrangements for the take off of Phase 4 of the Housing Project with 10 units ready for immediate construction. These homes represent more than physical structures, they serve as foundations for renewed hope, dignity, and economic opportunity.
According to Sir Dr. Emeka Offor “his Foundation’s intervention aligns with timeless principles of human dignity and scriptural wisdom as articulated in 1 Timothy 5:3: ‘Give proper recognition to widows who are really in need.’ This profound guidance informs our careful selection process, ensuring support reaches those most vulnerable. Our 2024 Impact Report confirms that 100% of beneficiaries meet stringent criteria of need, mirroring the biblical call to discernment and intentional care”
Sir Dr. Offor speaking further, “as we mark the 2025 International Widows Day, the modest impact we have made using our foundation’s Widows Cooperative Society as a point of contact has indeed motivated us to giving more even when we have less. Truly, you do not need to have so much in order to give because givers never lack. We are all encouraged to bless one widow today and everyday. Put smiles on their faces and make them forget the pains of their bereavement.
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WIDOWS DAY OUR DEAR SPECIAL ONES”
