The loss of a spouse is one of life’s most stressful experiences and people who find themselves in such a situation suffer devastation that sometimes makes them mentally imbalanced.
Widowhood is the state, and a widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man in that situation.
Stressful period
To promote the interest of widows and support them go through the stressful period of widowhood, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ms Otiko Afisa Djaba, has encouraged widows in the Ashanti Region to form associations to champion the cause of women.
She noted that the government alone could not do all and the ministry would be well pleased to have vibrant associations in place to work for the betterment of women, partculary widows.
The minister made the statement when she addressed 500 widows during the inauguration of the Akonafour Emoa Foundation, an association of widows, at the Centre for National Culture in Kumasi.
Government’s commitment
She said the government was committed to supporting widows through the ministry’s Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), and advised them to organize themselves into associations to seek support from individuals and organisations.
The minister assured them of the ministry’s determination to link them up with LEAP to pave the way for them to benefit under the programme.
She stressed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has the interest of destitutes and needy persons at heart, and was, therefore, committed to giving the ministry all the necessary support in building the lives of the needy.
The President of the foundation, Madam Philomena Antwiwaa, expressed her thanks to the minister for the words of encouragement and assurances. She also expressed optimism that the ministry would not relent in its efforts to support the foundation.
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