Hands of God Widows Support Initiative (HOGWIN) has launched its Widows Financial Inclusion (WiFin) Project.
It’s a ‘bold and transformative response to the need for increased investment in widows and their empowerment.’
On the initiative, Executive Director of HOGWIN, Phranklin Audu, said financial inclusion for widows is not only a matter of social justice but an economic imperative.
He called on policymakers, financial service providers, development partners, and the private sector to rally behind this initiative to elevate the economic status of Nigeria’s hitherto neglected and economically disadvantaged widows.
Audu said Nigeria is home to millions of widows, many of who face compounded disadvantages, such as social stigma, limited access to credit, and exclusion from economic opportunities.
These barriers, he noted, not only undermine their well-being but also rob the economy of their full potential contribution.
“Through WiFin, HOGWIN seeks to bridge this gap by creating pathways for widows to access financial services, acquire digital and entrepreneurial skills, and participate in the economy.
“The WiFin Project is more than a welfare intervention – it is an economic growth strategy.
We cannot achieve sustainable national development while leaving such a significant segment of our population behind.
We call on banks, microfinance institutions, fintech innovators, policymakers, and the donor community to partner with us in delivering inclusive, life-changing solutions for widows,” Audu stated.
He explained that the WiFin Project is strategically aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, SDG 5, SDG 8, SDG 10, and 17 which seek to eradicate poverty by providing widows with income-generating opportunities and access to credit, foster gender equality, decent work and economic growth, reduce inequalities and forge partnerships with stakeholders to deliver financial inclusion and economic opportunities to widows across Nigeria and beyond.
Listing the key objectives of the WiFin Project, Audu said that it aims to, among other things, facilitate access to tailored microfinance and savings products for widows, provide financial literacy, digital skills, and entrepreneurship training and build support networks and cooperatives for peer learning and shared resources.
“HOGWIN invites all stakeholders to be part of this national movement for economic justice and sustainable growth.
Together, we can turn financial inclusion for widows into a catalyst for national prosperity, ensuring that no woman is left behind in Nigeria’s development story,” he said.
