Wazobia Widows seek Collaboration with SMEDAN
Wazobia Widows have expressed their readiness to collaborate with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, (SMEDAN) with the aim of empowering widows.
The State Coordinator of the association, Alhaja Sherifat Salaudeen, expressed the willingness of the widows during a courtesy visit to the State Coordinator of SMEDAN, Prince Olatomi Ikuomola, at his Akure office yesterday.
Salaudeen briefed the SMEDAN State Coordinator about the activities of her association, which is a non-profit, non-political, and non-governmental organisation.
She said the association aims to seek empowerment for widows so that they can become independent and contribute to the development of both the state and the nation as a whole.
According to her, many of the widows have been trained in skills acquisition, while the majority of others have their own businesses but are unable to operate them adequately due to financial constraints.
She added that some are also involved in different agricultural commodities and are part of cooperative groups.
“We encourage our widows not to relegate themselves because of their status but to focus on alleviating their circumstances for a better life and to contribute to the development of their immediate communities, the state, and Nigeria as a whole,” Salaudeen said.
In response, the State Coordinator of SMEDAN, Prince Olatomi Ikuomola, applauded the group and said they were headed in the right direction.
He said the government would be willing to offer assistance where necessary, to improve their situation while encouraging them in meeting their expectations in life.
He advised them on the importance of forming cooperatives and registering their businesses with the CAC, which he said is a top priority in benefiting from any government incentives and programmes.
While stating that he would inform relevant authorities at Head office about their interests, Olatomi said they fall within the categories of female entrepreneurs the government is looking to assist, stating that a lot is in store for them in line with the Agency’s GROW Agenda.
