The Nakuru County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Youth, Sports, Gender and Social Services, Ms. Josephine Atieno on Monday joined hundreds of widows from West Sub- County at Shabab Social Hall for their monthly support group meeting.
The widows, under the guidance of their mentor Mrs. Eunice Ng’ang’a, gather regularly for the support group meeting for mentorship, spiritual support, sports activities, and networking, to help them boldly face widows-related challenges that they face.
Ms. Atieno commended Mrs. Ng’ang’a for her unwavering commitment to supporting widows in the region, though she is not a widow herself. She encouraged the widows to remain focused, resilient, and dedicated to shaping their children’s lives. She also conveyed a message from Governor Susan Kihika, assuring them of the county government’s continued support.
Divya Nitin Shah, a Representative from the Lion’s Club, and Joel Nyandieka, the Governor’s Coordinator, echoed the governor’s sentiment, emphasizing the importance of supporting widows through various county empowerment programs.
Mrs. Ng’ang’a said widowhood in Kenya, as in many parts of Africa, is often a harrowing and traumatic experience marked by immense challenges. She noted that despite constitutional protections, societal norms and harmful traditional practices continue to marginalize and discriminate against widows.
She observed that widows often face severe financial difficulties because they lose access to resources and income streams upon their husband’s death. Worse still societal stigma and discrimination, including accusations of witchcraft, often leads to social isolation and ostracism.
Additionally, she observed that many widows may be deprived of their rightful inheritance, leading to homelessness and poverty, and many widows lack awareness of their legal rights and struggle to access justice when their rights are violated which is why she decided to assist them, despite not being a widow.
Mrs. Ng’ang’a appealed to the government to endeavor to meaningfully address the widows’ plight through a multifaceted approach such as provision of financial support and empower them to understand their rights plus the inheritance process.
Also, she urged the government to support income generating activities, such as microfinance and skills training, to help widows become financially independent, besides implementing policies and programs that protect the rights of widows.
She concluded that by taking these steps, Kenya can work towards a future where widows are empowered, respected, and able to live with dignity.
By Veronica Bosibori
