By Vera Wisdom-Bassey

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In Lagos, 340 widows are still singing for joy, after they were recently empowered by a foundation. The women were given a lifeline by Life Support Foundation, which was run in conjunction with the Assemblies of God Church, Ojodu-Berger branch, Lagos.
Daily Sun learnt that about this time annually, Life Support Foundation, driven by Rev. (Mrs.) Edith Mpamugo, wife of the former Lagos District Superintendent of the church, gave out many gifts to widows. This year’s edition of the programme had the theme: Christmas Experiences 2017. Other editions had run since 1999.
On this occasion, bags of rice, cloth wrappers and cash were given to the beneficiaries. They were full of praise for the benefactor, her husband and other donors who had supported her to sustain the project.
The correspondent learnt that amid the climate of recession in the country she had sustained the programme and even made it an annual event.
This year’s edition began with praises to God, culminating in testimonies  of His goodness to everyone.
The project it was learnt, was a vision God gave Mrs. Mpamugo in 1996. She said that, from then, she had nursed the idea until she retired from active service and then began to pursue it.
“The first time this programme was held at White House in the Assemblies of God, the women were happy. It was like a Christmas party and, since then, it has been on. It is still a vision that cannot die. Rather than die, it will continue to improve.”
“This year’s edition is a unique one. It is unique in the sense that, for the first time, the programme was made known to the public; invitations were shared to friends and loved ones, requesting them to donate to its success,” she said.
According to her, on each occasion, the widows always went away with wrappers, and this year’s edition was not an exception. Even in the face of the current hardship in the country, it held. The women also went away with bagged rice for their families.
Rev. (Mrs.) Mpamugo advised members of the public not to wait until there were widows before they could set up similar projects, recalling that  some of those women were indeed lonely. She maintained that it was only at such gathering that they felt happy, urging that they should be encouraged.
One of the beneficiaries, who could not be indentified, said husband died when she 23. She received special attention from Mrs. Mpamugo who asked her to see her after the service. Rev. Mrs. Mpamugo said that she was always ready to assist such widows by helping her to learn acquire skills or giving her some money to help her set up a business.
She recalled that some of the women were either being rehabilitated by the foundation or sponsored to acquire university education.
She disclosed that this year, two women who benefited from the foundation graduated from the university. Similarly, one of the boys whose education the foundation was sponsoring from the secondary school to the university level had in addition learnt a quality trade, which he was using to make a living in school. She disclosed that after his graduation, the foundation was planning to send him abroad to pursue a programme in hairstyling, as he had strongly indicated that he could excel in the vocation.