Widows' Economic Empowerment in Abia State, Nigeria - Widows Development Organisation (WiDO)

WiDO-Widows-Day

The third in a series of articles published by Widows for Peace through Democracy (WPD) to mark International Widows Day 2026.

By Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi, President of WiDO – Partner of WPD. June 2026.

Widows’ Economic Empowerment in Rural Village – with Palm Oil Mill, Microfinance and better Access to Water

In 2018, the Widows Development Organisation (WiDO) received a grant from the Global Fund For Widows to support widows in the rural village of Umuagunglori in Umuegwu, Afugiri – Abia State, Nigeria.
The project was designed in such a fashion that a new palm oil mill was provided, a well was dug to help reduce the stress of going to the stream to fetch water and they were taught to run a Widows Savings and Loan Scheme (WISALA).
The whole value chain involved stakeholders and community members in the entire implementation process.

Role Models in the Community

The widows currently participate in monthly club meetings and in maintaining the mill as well as marketing the finished product.

These women are now role models to other widows in the community because of the rapid transformation in their lives. They run their mill, maintain it and have a good source of water.
They have access through WISALA for a loan for diverse businesses. They convene regularly and are compliant with monthly repayments and are respected in the community.

Testimonies

‘This loan that was given to me has been helpful because I used it to buy palm nuts from Uzuakoli market and come home to process it to oil in the mill which I later resell in the market for profits, I also used it for my chicken poultry farm to buy more chicks in it.’

‘Since you gave that loan to me you also gave me a name.’

‘I am no longer a sad and bitter woman since this meeting started and I can now feed myself properly from the benefits I have received here and my heart is always sweet like a sugar because of this.’

Recommendations

These National and International level recommendations are proposed to address the plight of widows:

National level Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) act which protects widows to be enforced;
Focus on access to justice, through sensitisation, legal aid, timely dispensation of justice and for perpetrators to be punished;
Writing of wills to protect widows from disinheritance;
Engagement with Traditional and Religious leaders as champions;
Global study to be commissioned by the UN Secretary General on widows of all ages including child widows and wives of the disappeared;
UN Special rapporteur on widows to be appointed;
There is the need for a new Optional Protocol to CEDAW to end violence against women and girls and further widows’ rights in nations around the world.

Conclusion

In conclusion, all widows of all ages need compassion and legal protection from violence and abuse.
Widows, including those who are survivors of violence such as harmful practices or conflict violence, have a crucial role to play through meaningful and influential participation in decision making.

Elbows locked, together we can achieve a life of dignity and a world safer for widows of all cohorts going through diverse crises.