The Global Fund for Widows 14th Annual Gala on Thursday, November 10, 2022, in New York City at the Central Park Boathouse. We have the privilege of honoring several prominent Nigerians, including First Lady Madam Ajoke Muhammed, Former First Lady of Nigeria.
This year, our distinguished honorees include:
DISTINGUISHED WIDOW OF THE YEAR
First Lady Madam Ajoke Muhammed, Former First Lady of Nigeria
ADVOCATE OF YEAR
Madam Aisha Muhammed Oyebode, Former First Daughter of Nigeria and widow advocate
african leadership Award
Mr. Lekan Akinyanmi, CEO, Lekoil Nigeria Limited & Chairman, Cambridge Growth Partners
SPECIAL GUEST & MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Ms. Zain Asher, CNN International Anchor
Empowering communities through access and inclusion aligns well with GFW's core focus of financial inclusion and skills-building. We have proven that once a widow is financially stabilized through our innovation in financial inclusion - the WISALA (Widows Savings and Loan Association), her first expenditures relate to the education, safety, and health of her children and herself. The WISALA is a micro-bank created to address the funding gaps of traditional microfinance that exclude widows due to the requirements for furnishing of collateral and male co-signatories, both of which a widow has lost. To date, GFW has launched over 120 WISALA micro-banks throughout Africa, empowering over 21,000 widows and sustaining over 54,000 of their children.
