A Non Governmental Organization, the Heart of Gold Foundation, has distributed food items and cash gifts to over 100 widows in Ondo and Ekiti states as part of its 2025 December Widow Outreach, aimed at easing the burden faced by widows during the Christmas season.
The outreach programme was held in selected communities across the two states and attracted widows from different backgrounds, many of whom lost their spouses under difficult circumstances. The initiative focused on providing both material support and emotional encouragement to help beneficiaries celebrate the festive period with dignity.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Director General of the Foundation, Pastor Femi Akinlabi, said the outreach was driven by compassion and a desire to identify with widows who often struggle during festive seasons. He said the foundation considered it important to support widows who might otherwise find it hard to celebrate Christmas.
“The initiative was motivated by compassion and a commitment to support widows who might otherwise struggle to celebrate the Christmas season with joy and dignity,” Akinlabi said.
Akinlabi, who spoke through the foundation’s Deputy Director General, Mr. Wole Akingbasote, explained that the foundation was relatively new but determined to make impact. He noted that despite being registered less than six months ago and commencing operations in October 2025, the foundation was already hosting its maiden outreach barely three months after its establishment.
He said the programme was funded entirely through personal contributions from members of the foundation, without grants or external sponsorship. According to him, about N5 million was spent on the outreach across Ondo and Ekiti states.
Akinlabi assured the widows that they had not been forgotten and encouraged them to remain hopeful despite their current challenges. He urged them to continue praying for the foundation so it could grow and reach more vulnerable people.
According to him, “with your prayers the foundation would grow and stabilize to be able to reach more vulnerable people in the future.
“We may not have much, but we identified the need around us and decided to act. Our goal is to put smiles on the faces of widows and reassure them that God has not forgotten them.
“This vision is borne out of the word of God as contained in the Bible (1 Timothy 5 vs 3- ‘Honour Widows that are widows indeed’). We are gathered here today to obey this word of God and within our limited resources, decided to honour the widows here today.
“We are doing this not because we have surplus money or because we are very rich but we have the felt need to help the widow around us who may find it difficult to celebrate Christmas.
“We want to spread the joy of Christmas to their homes in our own little way. We want to assure you that God is on your side and He will not forsake you.”
Also speaking at the event, the foundation’s Director of Programmes, Mrs Oluwatoyin Adegbenro, advised the widows to stay strong and move forward with their lives after the death of their husbands. She encouraged them not to allow anger or negative treatment from inlaws to weigh them down.
Adegbenro noted that the outreach would be sustained, adding that more widows and children would be empowered in both Ondo and Ekiti states. She said the foundation was committed to giving back to society.
According to her, “we’ll continue to give back to the society. We pray that all your labour over your children after death of your husbands won’t be in vain.”
The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Oluwaseun Osamaye, commended the Heart of Gold Foundation for what she described as a timely and compassionate intervention. She emphasized that the foundation’s effort to support widows at the grassroots level was commendable and impactful.
Osamaye said gestures like the outreach would not only provide immediate relief to vulnerable widows but also empower them socially and economically. According to her, “the initiative reinforce the importance of community-driven support alongside government programs aimed at enhancing the welfare of marginalized groups.”
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Iyabode Alayo praised the foundation for the timely support, describing the distribution of food items and cash gifts as a welcome relief during a period that can be financially and emotionally challenging.
She said the assistance would help the widows celebrate the festive season with dignity, joy and renewed hope. According to her, “gestures like this will not only address immediate needs of the widows but also restore their sense of worth and belonging within the community.”
Alayo added that the initiative reinforced the message that widows are not forgotten and that acts of compassion can transform lives during the yuletide season.
In his goodwill message, Elder Titus Orimijupa Olaniran said his presence at the event was driven by a deep spirit of generosity and compassion, describing the outreach as a profound honour to humanity.
He thanked the foundation “for their thoughtfulness and unwavering commitment to the welfare of the most vulnerable,” while expressing gratitude to widows, whom he described as resilient and courageous.
“To the widows who grace this hall with their presence: your strength, resilience, and grace are a beacon to us all,” he said.
“You embody the true spirit of perseverance, and today, we celebrate not only the gifts you receive but the invaluable gifts you continue to give to your families and to our community as the head of families, by providence.”
Orimijupa encouraged the widows to remain hopeful and focused, especially in raising their children, noting that the foundation’s gesture reaffirmed society’s shared responsibility toward the vulnerable.
“Let me reassure you that the spirit of generosity of this foundation proves further that God isn’t done with any of you,” he added.
