Yayi’s wife empowers 3,000 Ogun widows with cash grants, business tools

No fewer than 3,000 widows in Ogun State have received cash grants, vocational training and business support from the Chadash Empowerment Foundation as part of activities marking the 2026 International Widows’ Day.

The intervention, carried out during the fifth edition of the Foundation’s annual Widows’ Empowerment Programme, is aimed at promoting economic independence and restoring hope among vulnerable women.

Held at the Ake Palace Amphitheatre in Abeokuta, the programme brought together widows from across Ogun State for vocational training, entrepreneurship support, and other empowerment initiatives designed to improve their livelihoods.

Widows who completed the Foundation’s vocational training programme received business equipment to help them establish or expand their enterprises.

Items distributed included sewing machines, grinding machines, hair dryers, makeup kits, deep freezers, and gas cookers.

2,000 widows also received cash grants of N50,000 each to strengthen existing businesses, boost household income and improve their economic resilience.

Speaking at the event, the Founder of the Chadash Empowerment Foundation, Adeola Yayi, said the initiative underscores the organisation’s commitment to providing sustainable economic opportunities for widows rather than one-off interventions.

She said empowering widows goes beyond financial assistance, noting that equipping them with practical skills, vocational tools and start-up capital enables them to build sustainable livelihoods, regain confidence and achieve financial independence.

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Yayi stated: “Seeing more than 3,000 widows gathered here today with renewed hope and confidence reminds us why we remain committed to restoring dignity, creating opportunities and empowering vulnerable women to achieve financial independence.

“At the Chadash Empowerment Foundation, empowerment goes beyond giving. It is about equipping people with the skills, resources and confidence to build sustainable livelihoods that will positively impact their families and communities.”

Yayi urged the beneficiaries to make productive use of the support by investing in viable businesses capable of generating sustainable income and improving their families’ welfare.

“The heartfelt testimonies we continue to receive from our beneficiaries reaffirm our mission. Their stories of renewed hope, restored confidence and brighter futures inspire us to do even more. Together, we are transforming grief into growth, despair into hope and challenges into opportunities,” she added.

According to the Foundation, more than 15,000 widows across Ogun State and the Federal Capital Territory have benefited from its vocational training, entrepreneurship support, cash grants and other sustainable livelihood initiatives since its inception.

It added that it remains committed to expanding its programmes to empower more vulnerable women, promote economic inclusion and strengthen communities across Nigeria.