About two thousand, five hundred (2,250) widows and aged women in the Walewale constituency have received assorted food items from the Member of Parliament for the area, Hajia Lariba Zuweira Abudu, to celebrate both Christmas and the New Year.
Each beneficiary went home with a parcel containing a piece of cloth, 5kg bag of rice, cooking oil and a cash grant of one hundred cedis (GH₵100) to help put smile on their faces and their households during this festive season.
The benevolent gesture being the third edition is an annual pro poor program introduced by the MP to extend similar assistance to the poor families.
In addition to the items, the legislator who doubles as the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, also disbursed cash grants to the deprived women.
Some of the widows couldn’t hide their frustrations especially those who are left with children to cater for in such an environment with huge economic uncertainties. Therefore, they thanked the Member of Parliament for her continuous generosity.
Speaking at a ceremony to distribute the items last Saturday, (December 30, 2023), Hajia Lariba Abudu noted the objective of the initiative was to mitigate the impoverishment of the widows and their families. She indicated these women are handicapped hence the need to show them affection, care and love
“The testimonies from our women on how the summit has touched their lives, attested to the positive impact of this initiative and the need to sustain it” she posited.
The MP who doubles as the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection stressed the donation will also enhance coexistence as it is a period for people to share and show love to one another in the community.
She therefore commended the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for his support, the Samira Empowerment & Humanitarian Projects (SEHP), and the Bank Of Ghana among other organizations and individuals whose efforts she acknowledged has contributed to the success of the summit over the years.
“In all we are supporting some 2,000 women but we have made contingency of 250 packages because from past experience, we know there gate crushers and so we have made provisions for that as well” she added.
The legislator indicated her plan moving forward is to organize skills training for the vulnerable women and startup capitals to have some economic freedom.
“Giving them these items for the Christmas and the New Year is not enough; so we need to give them some skills training and startup capital so that at least, before we come together this way every year, they have also made a headway in their lives” she asserted.
Hajia Lariba Abudu noted there are also plans to organize vocational and youth empowerment programs to support the teeming unemployed youth in her constituency.
“There are plans to empower the youth [particularly with the YouStart government initiative], we made some of them to register and went for the interview. We are also trying to do some training for those who haven’t gone to school to learn barbering, tailoring and hairdressing so that I can support them with the kits and other equipment to work” she emphasized.
Meanwhile, Rev. Jonathan Iddi of the Assemblies of God Church has lauded the lawmaker for continuously touching the lives of these vulnerable women. He maintained the items will go a long way to ameliorate the suffering of the beneficiary homes and prayed for God’s blessings upon the MP.
Present at the event were various Religious leaders, Traditional leaders, the Municipal Chief Executive for Walewale, NPP Constituency Chairman, executives among other dignitaries.
