Mother’s Day: Anthony Woghiren Foundation Empower Widows with 1 Million Naira Business boost
By Precious Ahiakwo-Ovie
“I’m a petty trader; I sell roasted plantain and fish in the neighborhood. I use to buy stocks in bulk and sell, but when the price of food stuff drastically increased, I couldn’t afford buying more and in bulk. This affected my sales and profit. It also affected how we feed at home as we only feed once in a day. I can’t even afford paying the children school fees in installments as I do. But now, with this money, this economic will not affect my business and my family’s welfare again! I can comfortably buy my market in bulk and make my profits effortlessly! Thank You Anthony Woghiren Foundation, Thank You Lawrence Nwadiogbu, Thank you Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Airfield!.”
“I’m an old widow, with no helper. Now I have a helper in Rotary and everyone who remembered me as a widow today. I can now go back to my business and help myself and family”.
“I can now buy a bag of corn and process the pap I sell for a living and make better profits. Before I couldn’t afford the bag, I buy half and it’s not profitable enough for the business. Im really grateful and happy!”.
These are heartfelt expressions of joy from some twenty widows who operate small scale businesses at the Bundu Ama Community in Port Harcourt, as help came their ways through the Anthony Woghiren Foundation in partnership with the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Airfield, with a one million naira boost to their businesses.
Sponsor of the business grant Rotarian Lawrence Nwadiogbu who is an Assistant Governor zone twelve of the Rotary District 9141 while addressing the widows who are mostly aged women in Bundu Ama Community said the motivation came from leaving lasting smiles on faces of poor widows who are mostly not remembered in the society.
“Doing Charity is one of my hobbies and I have been able to accomplish so much in my life as a result of this act. Anthony Woghiren is my friend; he’s been elected the District Governor of Rotary International District 9141 come 2025-2026. So I decided to honor him and his club Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Airfield to see how we can reach out to especially the widows to celebrate the mothers’ day and International Women Day with them. This is because in our society, most times the widows are not always remembered. I’m excited they are happier”, AG Lawrence said.
Founder of the Anthony Anthony Woghiren Foundation, who is a District Governor Designate, in the Rotary District 9141 told the excited widows that he is happy to bring financial stability to their businesses with the business grants.
“The intent is to celebrate women especial on this International Day of Women and the Anglican Mothers’ day celebrations, indeed there’s no othr better time to show such love to the women like now. This is also because you know if you empower the woman, you are reaching out to the heart of the home and this brings sustainability to the home. In this Rotary year where we are creating hope, there’s no better time to do this than now. I pray these women judiciously use the little token of fifty thousand naira each for twenty of them. I pray it adds value to their businesses and their lives”, the DGD said.
Parish Priest of Saint Barnabas Anglican Church Bundu Ama, Reverend Cannon Chimezie Ofoma said the parish is happy that the poor widows are remembered this way.
“This fifty thousand naira will do magic in their business, because most of them are into petty trade. This means so much to them and I’m happy this is happening to them. The church community is happy”.
Our correspondent reports that President of the Rotary club of Port Harcourt Airfield Kelechi Ekezie said the gesture will be an annual activity of the club to invest and create hope for the widows in other communities.
Others at the event include the club’s Assistant Governor Veronique Tabai and other members of the Rotary club of Port Harcourt Airfield.