empowerment initiative aimed at helping widows and young single mothers build sustainable livelihoods through practical skills training and startup support.
Under the new phase of the programme, about 1,000 women and girls are expected to benefit from vocational training designed to translate quickly into income. A major focus is on liquid soap production, a low-cost and high-demand business line, with each beneficiary receiving a N50,000 seed grant to either start or scale a small enterprise within their community. Organisers say the goal is to prioritise skills that are affordable, easy to adopt and capable of generating a steady cash flow for households with limited financial buffers.
Beyond liquid soap making, participants will also receive training in other small business activities such as snack production, zobo drink processing, fruit trading, and point-of-sale services. The programme also integrates mentorship, basic financial literacy, and savings education to help beneficiaries manage income, control costs, and gradually grow their ventures beyond subsistence levels.
According to the organisers, empowering widows and young single mothers has ripple effects that extend well beyond individual income. They noted that improved earnings directly support children’s welfare, access to education, and overall household stability, while also strengthening local economies through micro and small business activity. The SMILE2025 initiative, they added, is structured to reinforce family resilience while contributing to broader community development.
Health support is also a key component of the outreach. Beneficiaries will receive free medical services, including blood pressure monitoring, glucose and diabetes screening, eye checks and the distribution of essential drugs. Medical professionals and volunteers are expected to provide these services as part of efforts to address health challenges that often undermine productivity and income generation.
The organisers have called on individuals, organisations and corporate bodies to support the programme by sponsoring beneficiaries with donations of N50,000 per person, supporting groups of women, or contributing equipment, medical supplies and professional services such as healthcare, mentorship and business advisory support.
They noted that the SMILE2025 Widows and Orphans Outreach Programme has been active for more than a decade, with previous editions delivering measurable improvements in participants’ livelihoods. Continued backing, they said, will allow the initiative to reach more women, deepen its impact, and strengthen families and communities that depend on small-scale enterprise for survival and growth.
