By Ta Nformi Chris Mbunwe
Thousands of widows held their pioneer conference in Bamenda on April 27, at Nyanga Hall on the SONAC Street, where they resolved to continue with capacity building and to ensure no obnoxious practices like unending subjection to mourning of departed husbands, torture, dehumanisation, and all sorts of marginalisation that affect widows and children left behind by their spouses.
In an exclusive interview with The Post Newspaper after the event, the Founder and Director of Hope for Windows Ministry, Karawa Mirabel, a retired Civil servant, said the movement that started with only 8 widows, today has over 7,000 and in 10 Regions of Cameroon.
“I had a vision drawing from James I, to help widows and orphans in Cameroon. Coming from a Christian background and with encouragement from my husband, Mr Karawa, I saw the miserable lives widows were going through, I then decided to start from my villages, Boyar in Taku in Ndu Subdivision of Donga Mantung Division. I went visiting, talking to women and living experiences and listening to their stories. I decided to take action. So, we contacted churches who were our points of contact for sensitisation and possible empowerment and assistance as widow’s livelihood was concerned.
“As many widows bought the idea, we started contacting widows personally and in groups. They poured out their worries like inheritance rights, young widows cannot remarry, and they can’t own land, sleeping on bare floor for long after husband’s death and many more.
“Only assisting them with rice, oil would not help their conditions with so many mouths to feed. Teaching them through training, acquiring skills, carrying out businesses really impact their lives. We have succeeded in two operations; operation lift widows from the floor to the bed, and operation provide good beds for widows with modern comfortable mattresses to sleep on. We started by assisting 12 orphans and today we have assisted over 550 orphans. They are on their own now after graduating from Bamenda, and Buea, they are now able to feed themselves and pay church contribution.
“The adage that goes that teach somebody to catch fish, than give him fish always, is succeeding with Hope for Widows and Orphan Ministry. Though they still have a long way to go, Karawa is determined despite all odds to continue fighting for Widows. She said the holistic ministry will be focusing on sensitisation and empowering women, for communities to treat them with care and love of God.