international widow's day 2020

The loss of a partner is devastating. For many women around the world, especially in developing countries, that loss is magnified by a long-term struggle for their basic needs, their human rights and dignity. There are an estimated 258 million widows around the world, and nearly one in ten live in extreme poverty. But, the actual number is likely to be much higher and to grow further as the coronavirus and its related effects on health continue to rage around the world. As women they have specific needs, but their voices and experiences are often absent from policies that impact their survival.

most of widows in rural areas ,they don't have access to many things like:

No access to credit or other economic resources, even for childcare or education.

No rights or limited rights, to inheritance or land ownership under customary and religious law.

Dependent on the charity of their husbands’ relatives.

the delegation of BUENE HOPE FOUNDATION head to the Walungu Territory in the province of South Kivu with the objective of palpating the reality on the ground of living conditions of widows in this part of the region of South Kivu. As a result, a meeting with peasant widows' organizations was held in the village of Kabikwinja in Walungu center. This fruitful meeting of exchange and sharing of experiences was attended by approximately 25 vulnerable women from 7 different villages of Walungu Territory and under the leadership of Mrs. Augustine Nsimire Founder and coordinator of BUENE HOPE FOUNDATION. At the same time, we had provided live and non-food assistance to 25 vulnerable widowed women whose attendance lists in our possession indicate 56% of women have an age range between 60 and 79 years, 24% of women are in the range of 40 to 59 years, 15% are between 80 years and 100 years and 8% of them is found in an age group which varies between 20 and 39 years.