By Oswald Agwu, Ebonyi
A faith-based, not-for-profit organisation, Universal Outreach for Women Empowerment (UNOWEM), has given relief to over 100 widows, indigents and children in Ebonyi State.
INN reports that the organisation gifted beneficiaries with food items, clothes, and undisclosed amounts of money to assist them in the forthcoming Christmas and new year celebrations.
The mega succour programme which has been instituted as a yearly practice by the organisation was held Saturday at Universal Christ Ministry of All Nations in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
The 2023 edition was supported by the World Mission Foundation from the United States of America and the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Ebonyi State council.
Addressing journalists, the Chief Executive Officer of UNOWEM, Evangelist Mrs Abigail Eze-Iheukwumere said the mission of the organization was to utilize resources available to it to put smiles in the faces of others in diverse ways, especially those in need.
She explained that the event was one of the organization’s ways of giving the widows succour and a sense of belonging as the christmas celebration approaches.
She said: “At festive periods like this, most of these women that have lost their husbands often feel the impact most, and at such they deserve to be given a sense of belonging.
“We are motivated by the need to achieve the happiness of these widows and the indigents; we want them to be happy like every other person in Ebonyi State
“It was conceived to also fulfill the scriptures which has directed us to take care of the widows, the orphans and the poor.”
Iheukwumere, also a journalist, admonished the beneficiaries to also extend the love to others they were better than around their neighbourhood.
In an interaction with newsmen, he Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Ebonyi State chapter, who is also the Board Chairman of UNOWEM, Reverend Scamb Chinedum Nwokolo, said the organization was birthed by divine inspiration and nurtured by shared vision between himself and the CEO.
Nwokolo, also the spiritual director of the organization’s host church, Universal Christ Ministry of All Nations, said that apart from such relief programmes, UNOWEM has built houses for some widows.
“It gives us joy to put smiles in the faces of people, especially this group of people that you are seeing here today.
“As you can see, these women don’t have anybody who can take care of them because they are widows.
“We are adding our little quota in filling the gap, and we are also empowering the indigents as well.” Nwokolo explained.
Nwokolo added that he would use his position as the CAN chairman to work towards increasing the scope of the organization’s operation to touch more lives in the State and beyond.
Guest preacher at the event, Pastor Mrs Mirabel Imumolen, in a sermon, encouraged the widows to anchor their faith in God, cultivate the habit of prayer and worship to God.
She further charged them to avoid sinful lives and cultivate positive self esteem, assuring them that God is ever able to care for them.
The ministry’s widows coordinator, Mrs Blessing Ofobuike, appreciated the Organization for the gesture.
She noted that apart from such events, some of them have received individual business empowerment from UNOWEM, and prayed God to continue to prosper it for greater impacts.
“My prayer is that God should reward them in hundred folds” Ofobuike stressed.