PRESIDENT of International Women’s Society ( IWS) , Mrs Izabella-Okon and sub-committee of Widows Trust Fund have organised a training to mark 2023 IWD in Lagos.
The event, attended by trustees, guests, widows, focused on digitalisation and opportunities for businesses owned by women.
“According to statistics, 258 million widows and 585 million children need support.
“Widows face more challenges than one can think of. International Widows Day raises awareness about widows’ issues and advocates for better facilities and opportunities for them…”
She added: “ The day empowers widows by demanding better facilities and opportunities for them.
It advocates the uplifting of women and making them self-sufficient. International Widows Day addresses the regressive mentality of people regarding women and their place in society”.
She noted IWS wants to make widows go digitALL. “To maximise opportunities with innovation and technology. ensuring no one is left behind”.
Through this training, she stressed many will understand the difference between working smart and working hard. “Technology makes it easier to connect to the world. And you can begin to produce goods that are marketable worldwide”.
A message from Mrs Adebanke Adeola, Chairperson, Widows Trust Fund which was delivered by Mrs Gbemi Shasore, Trustee, IWS Nigeria gave an overview of the Celebration and the journey so far.
“In March this year when the United Nations celebrated the International Women’s Day, they decided to flag the theme ‘ DigitALL Women’ for the extensive opportunities digitalisation brings to Women’s businesses as a way of further breaking gender barriers and accelerating equality.
It called for all involved to set the stage for innovation and technology as the launch pad for the future of transformative change and sustainability”.
She continued: “At IWS we immediately saw it as a unique opportunity to extend it to you who can and will embrace the kind of emancipation that will yield bigger harvests of empowerment. Creating better avenues while still empowering you in the traditional ways”.
Messrs Muyiwa Gam-Ikon and Victor Ogbodo, IT specialists of repute then took participants through a session on how technology can enhance their businesses and be compliant with the digital age.
“ This is what is trending now and the new method of transacting businesses maximally and empowering yourselves optimally.I want to wish our widows well and pray that you continue to find favour in your businesses so you can help yourselves and your families”.
The IWS Widows Trust Fund was founded in 1998 by the then President, Mrs Ijeoma Asala of blessed memory.
IWS empowered Widows twice a year in January with Our Widows New Year Feast( WINYEF) and International Widows Day, June 23.
To date IWS has supported over 2000 widows in their businesses. “This year we have trained Widows on how to use their phones to empower their businesses, given palliatives to almost 300 Widows and endowed some with business support infrastructure”.
-Thenation
