BY FATMATA BUNDU
232NEWS, FREETOWN
Hephzibah Foundation has been launched with a donation of assorted food items to widows at Bawbaw Western Rural Community.
The Foundation which primary focus is to serve as a local based and non-profit organization, aims at improving the lives of widows and empowering them to become self-sufficient, resilient, and become active members of their communities.
The Foundation also aims at providing comprehensive range of services and support to widows, recognizing their vital role in society and working towards their holistic well-being.
Grace Fatmata Wurie Kallon, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hephzibah Foundation, led the team to Bawbaw community where the donation was made to the targeted group.
She pointed out that, Sierra Leone, like many developing countries, has a significant population of widows who often face challenges such as social isolation, economic vulnerability, access to essential services.
She explained that Hephzibah Foundation for Widows was established in response to these challenges, aiming to uplift widows from their marginalized status and offer them a chance to leave dignified and fulfilling lives.
Madam Grace furthered that their mission is to empower widows in the country by providing them with vocational training, emotional support, and economic opportunities, enabling them to regain their self-esteem and become active contributors to their various communities with the vision to envisions a society in which widows were recognized, respected, empowered; and where kindness and compassion play a transformative role in improving lives.
She also spoke on the objectives, that were, to offer life skills training to widows, enhancing their capacity to secure sustainable livelihoods, providing emotional and psychological supports to foster a sense of belonging and resilience, promoting rights and social inclusion of widows within the Bawbaw community and beyond and establish income-generating projects that would empower widows to become financially independent.
Madam Grace went on to say that the foundation would implement various programs and activities to achieve its objectives, such as literacy and numeracy classes, and workshops to enhance employability, counselling and support groups also offering psychological counselling and support groups to help widows cope with grief, trauma, and emotional challenges, microfinance and entrepreneurship, assisting them in setting up small businesses through microfinance initiatives and legal aid and advocacy raising awareness about widows’ rights and advocating for legal and policy changes to protect their interests and Well-being: Collaborating with healthcare providers to ensure widows have access to essential healthcare services.
Madam Grace concluded by reflecting on the foundation’s belief in the power of compassion and it’s symbolizes the transformative impact that small acts of kindness and support could have on widows’ lives, ultimately leading to significant societal change, noting that funding and sustainability. Seeking funding through various channels, including grants, donations, partnerships with local businesses, fundraising events and additional income-generating projects initiated by widows themselves would contribute to the foundation’s, sustainability and partnerships with collaboration with government agencies, NGOs, local communities, academic institutions, and international organizations to maximize its impact and reach.
The founder also conducted community outreach organizing events, awareness campaigns to sensitize the community about the issues faced by widows, as its primary focus is on widows in that region but aims to extend its reach to other neighbouring communities overtime.
