Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Enugu state chapter , Peace Patrick Foundation for Widows, Women and Children has been unveiled with a call for support from individuals, organisations, government agencies and philanthropists to improve the lives of vulnerable women, widows and children in Enugu State.
The foundation was unveiled during the August meeting of Umuada Peter Mbah Worldwide, with the wife of former Enugu State Governor, Dr. Clara Chiroma Chime, among the distinguished guests at the event.
In her address at the event held in Enugu on Tuesday, , Ambassador Patrick said the foundation was established after years of observing the resilience, commitment and sacrifices of women, particularly during elections and community activities.
Hon Ambassador Peace Patrick, founder Peace Patrick Foundaz
Patrick who is the founder of Umuada Peter Mbah Worldwide, said women had demonstrated enormous strength and capacity to contribute to society.“Since I have been in politics, women are the most popular people that come out when it comes to elections and voting. You put an event by 9am or 10am, women will be there starting from 7am, and they will not leave until late.”
According to her the commitment of women inspired her to establish a platform through which she could give back to them.
“Women have the capacity, they have the strength, they have the courage. When they are with you, they are with you. So I said, let me use this opportunity, Peace Patrick launches Foundation to Empower Women, Support Widows, Protect Children little gift that I’m getting from people, to empower my fellow women,” she said.
She explained that the foundation would pay particular attention to widows who, often face maltreatment and harassment following the death of their husbands.
Tgf
“When you empower a woman, you empower the nation,” he declared.
He said the foundatrion would also cater for vulnerable and less privileged children, adding that his desire was to use his position and resources to address challenges affecting women and children.
On sustaining the foundation, she said it would collaborate with friends, organisations, donors, government agencies and philanthropiHe noted that many philanthropists had resources they were willing to deploy for humanitarian purposes but lacked the appropriate channels to reach genuine beneficiaries at the grassroots.
“I know that we have a lot of philanthropists that have the resources but they don’t know the right people to channel 5 to, so that we get to the grassroots women,” she said.
The Founder of Umuada Peter Mbah Worldwide, pledged to personally champion the initiative, stressing that he was committed to carrying the problems of the people at grassroot s
The foundation, according to her , is designed to promote women’s empowerment, restore dignity to widows, protect vulnerable children and support families in need.
Its areas of focus include widow support, women empowerment, child protection and welfare, education and capacity building, and health and wellbeing.
“”The foundation will seek to provide livelihood opportunities, skills development and welfare interventions for widows, while women will be supported through entrepreneurship, vocational training, education and leadership development.
Its child-focused programmes will promote the safety, education, health, dignity and wellbeing of vulnerable children.
Ambassador Patrick said the foundation was founded on the belief that every woman deserves an opportunity, every widow deserves dignity, every child deserves protection and every family deserves hope.
She described women as partners, builders, leaders and agents of transformation, stressing the need to provide them with access to skills, education, healthcare, entrepreneurship and economic opportunities.
“It also emphasised the need to protect children, noting that the future of families and communities depended on their wellbeing.
“When we protect a child, we are not simply protecting one individual. We are protecting the future of our families, our communities and our nation, ”she said.
She commended the administration of Enugu state Governor , Dr Peter Mbah for its efforts in empowering women, saying his foundation would complement government initiatives by taking relevant programmes and messages to women at the grassroots.
“Our governor is doing very well when it comes to empowering women. The wife also is doing more than enough empowering women,” she said.
The Founder added that the foundation would focus on reaching women and widows who might not be aware of available opportunities and ensuring that they were carried along.
She called on well-meaning Nigerians, corporate organisations, development partners, government institutions and philanthropists to support the foundation’s mission of empowering women, supporting widows and protecting children.
In their goodwill messages , the Commissioner for Labour and Employment, Dr Felix Nnamani, the Chairman of Enugu East Local Government Area,Pastor Beloved Dan Anike, wife of the senator representing Enugu East Senator zone, Dr Ngozi Chukwu, Women Activist, Onyinye Mamah , Ambassador Amaka Nweke , the APC South East Woman Leader ,Dr Oby Ajih and others , commended Hon Peace Patrick for the initiative . They said the foundation will help in building communities where women are empowered, widows are supported, children are protected and vulnerable families have opportunities to thrive. They urged women to report cases of any kind of violence or abuse against them.
There was a lecture on the prevention of HIV. The Guest Lecturer, Dr Rita Emeh urged parents to be taking to their children against exposing themselves to danger and contracting of the disease. She also encouraged people to go for HIV test, noting that early detection helps to control the spare of the disease.
Highlights of the event were cutting of the foundation cake and distribution of 3Kg bags of Rice to over 200 widows.
