Many widows and the less privileged who thronged Skytop Breeze Garden located one kilometre to the hanging bridge constructed by Julius Berger Plc (Nigeria) in Ediene, Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State were not at the garden to only worship God but to get a helping hand to cushion their hardships.
On December 28, last year, more than 30 widows and the less privileged came out in their numbers to relish the financial and material magnanimity of the three-year-old Jeneta Charity Foundation reputed for philanthropy.
Within this brief period, the foundation has successfully touched many lives and given hope to the downtrodden in Akwa Ibom State and beyond by doling out more than 100 wrappers and thousands of naira to them.
Charles Effiong, the initiator and founder of the foundation narrated “The foundation was established in 2010 in honour of a wretched widow-Jene Charlie Udobot of Ekpat Iduot, Midim in Abak Local Government Area. She was an amazingly generous giver who graciously sacrificed (50-70 %) of her resources or gifts to the less privileged.
Married to rich man in those days, she was the sixth wife. Unfortunately, her husband died untimely. She was nicknamed- Jene- the poor benefactor. She was full of passion for charity and would always say “If God had provided for me, I should also be a solution to others in need,” he reminisced.
Hear Effiong” The vision of the foundation is to touch lives globally and create impact for a meaningful existence through regular provision of spiritual and material needs.”
After this, the widows spoke exclusively to StraightNews on their thoughts about the foundation. Mrs. Mama Stephen, aged 70 hails from Ekpat Iduot , Afaha Obong in Abak and is a widow for five years. She has one child and many grandchildren.
Mrs. Stephen said “Though I have been attending a fellowship here, I have benefited immensely from the foundation. I have been receiving assorted types of wrapper, cups of rice and financial assistance from the foundation.”
She, however, appealed to the state government to give them soft loans for petty businesses to boost their low-income generating capacity.
“I want to also appeal to wife of the state governor and Founder of FEYrEP, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel to build low-income houses for some of us. Since the death of our husbands, many of us were thrown out of our matrimonial homes. Payment of rents is a difficult thing to us who are jobless,” she passionately pleaded.
Another widow, Mrs. Francisca Mfon Bill, 65, comes from Ndot Abak. Her husband died 13 years ago. Survived with four children, she is unemployed.
Lamenting on her fate, Mrs. Bill complained that “I did not have formal education due to the belief of my late father that girl-child education was unprofitable. Since the death of my husband, I have suffered a lot. He left behind no house. My brother took me to his compound and gave me a place to squat. I do not have money since I am not working. My children are secondary school leavers. No money for them to proceed to higher institution.
I want to appeal to the state government to come to our aid by giving us soft loan. I want to also plead with the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Martha Emmanuel to come to my aid by building a two-bedroom apartment for me,” she begged.
StraightNews stumbled on a rather case of a woman who has put in 40 years in widowhood. Mrs. Grace Okon, 65, was married early in life. Her husband died in 1977 leaving behind four children for her to cater.
“I am unemployed. I do not have a formal education since my father did not believe in girl-child education. I do not have enough to cater for my basic necessities. My children stopped at primary school level and could not go beyond this owing to dearth of money.
At the moment, I am living in the compound of my eldest brother. He allotted a one-room apartment to me and my children. I need money and a house to survive. I want government and public-spirited individuals to come to my aid,” she appealed.
Mrs. Atim Effiong is an indigene of Ekapt Iduot in Abak Local Government Area. Aged 72, Mrs. Effiong is a widow for 10 years now. She confessed openly “I thank the foundation which has built a house for me, has been giving me wrapper, money and bags of rice.
I pray God to bless the founder of this foundation. He has given lifeline to many us who might have died by now due to irredeemable poverty. I want government and philanthropists to come to the aid of the foundation by giving donating money and other items to sustain the foundation in reaching out to the needy in our society.”
Rev. Barnabas Aaron, coordinator and Rev. Aniefiok Udoh, patron of the foundation jointly agreed that the foundation caters for the widows and the less privileged within and outside Akwa Ibom State and to bring them to Christ.
According to them, “Though we have not been able to build houses for the less privileged due to paucity of funds, we are able to provide succor for them and impact their lives positively.”
