July 4, 2026

Nikki Udezue Foundation Empowers 40 Widows with Cash Grants, Food items in Ado New Nyanya

The Nikki Udezue Foundation has empowered 40 widows in Ado New Nyanya, Nasarawa State, with cash grants, food items, clothing, shoes, bags and household supplies as part of efforts to improve their livelihoods and promote economic self-reliance.

The empowerment programme was held under the foundation’s The Udoh’s Widow Empowerment Programme (TUWEP) and sponsored by the Udoh family in memory of their late mother, Mrs. Patience Friday Udoh, to mark the fourth memorial anniversary of her passing.

The event, themed “Turning Small Business into Sustainable Income,” was organised by the Udoh family in collaboration with the Nikki Udezue Foundation to honour the legacy of the late Mrs. Patience Friday Udoh, who passed away on June 16, 2022.

The initiative was designed to support widows from underserved communities by providing practical business support, financial assistance and opportunities for economic independence.

Each beneficiary received a cash grant of ₦30,000, alongside food items, detergents and other essential household materials to help support their families and strengthen their small businesses.

Speaking during the outreach, the Founder of the Nikki Udezue Foundation, Mrs. Nkeiruka Udezue, said the initiative reflects the foundation’s commitment to supporting vulnerable women and restoring hope to widows facing economic hardship.

She noted that many Nigerians are struggling under the country’s current economic realities, stressing that providing relief and hope to widows remains one of the foundation’s core missions.

“So many people in this country are going through difficult times. Being able to put smiles on the faces of widows and vulnerable Nigerians is something we always look forward to. Seeing them move from tears and pain to joy and hope is truly inspiring for our team,” she said.

Mrs. Udezue explained that TUWEP was established to provide practical support for widows who lost their husbands unexpectedly and have little or no means of livelihood.

According to her, beneficiaries are carefully identified through community-based assessments rather than open registration to ensure that assistance reaches those who need it most.

“We don’t just invite everyone. We go into communities to identify widows who genuinely need support, especially those raising young children without any stable source of income. We want this support to help them rebuild their lives,” she said.

She urged the beneficiaries to invest the cash grants in small businesses to enable them become financially independent and, in turn, support others facing similar challenges.

“The idea is not just to receive assistance but to grow to the point where you can also become a giver. We want to see these businesses succeed so that other donors will be encouraged to continue supporting similar initiatives,” she added.

Mrs. Udezue also appealed to governments, corporate organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to partner with the foundation in expanding its humanitarian interventions across the country.

She disclosed that although the foundation has largely been self-funded for nearly four years, its commitment to transparency and accountability has continued to attract support from individuals and families.

“This programme was made possible by the generosity of the Udoh family. We remain transparent in all our operations because transparency builds trust. We call on governments, multinational companies and other Nigerians to support initiatives like this because no single person can meet all the needs in our communities,” she said.

Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Udoh family, Miss Mary Udoh said the empowerment programme was organised to preserve the memory of their late mother, Mrs. Patience Friday Udoh, who was widely known for her compassion, generosity and commitment to helping the less privileged.

She said the family chose to celebrate her legacy by supporting widows, expressing hope that the intervention would improve their livelihoods and strengthen their resilience.

“Our mother was a woman of great faith, love and kindness. Although she is no longer with us physically, her legacy lives on. By supporting widows, we are continuing the compassion she showed during her lifetime,” she said.

She encouraged the beneficiaries to remain hardworking, hopeful and prayerful despite the challenges they face.

The programme also featured motivational sessions where participants were encouraged to invest wisely, embrace self-reliance and use the support as a stepping stone towards financial independence.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Margaret Osita expressed appreciation to the Nikki Udezue Foundation and the Udoh family, describing the intervention as timely and impactful.

She said the programme had once again brought relief to widows facing economic hardship.

“The programme was wonderful and it has put smiles on the faces of widows. We are grateful that the foundation remembered us again. Each of us received food items, including noodles and other essentials, as well as ₦30,000. We sincerely appreciate the foundation for bringing joy into our lives,” she said.

Another beneficiary, Mrs. Blessing Kenneth, recounted how she had struggled to provide food and pay her children’s school expenses before receiving the assistance.

She said the support had restored her hope and prayed for God’s blessings upon the Nikki Udezue Foundation and the Udoh family for remembering widows during their time of need.

The beneficiaries described the intervention as a timely lifeline amid the prevailing economic hardship and called on individuals, families, corporate organisations and philanthropists to emulate the foundation’s commitment to supporting vulnerable members of society through sustainable empowerment initiatives