FUNKE OSAE-BROWN
Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, Senior Pastor, KICC International is billed to spend N57 million on his annual widow empowerment programme in his hometown Ode Omu on January 6, 2018.
The programme which he started 12 years with just 308 widows in attendance has grown over the years. For 2018 edition, more than 17, 000 widows will be given cash to start business, food, clothing among other items.
Ashimolowo who has been involved in charity works for the 34 years he has lived in England had the burden to do charity in Nigeria with a focus on widows.
“It was successful in the first year,” he recalled. “The level of appreciation was really impressive. By the second year, the number grew to 500 and over the year to 1, 000 widows. This year, I thought we would have 12, 000 but almost 16, 800 names were submitted.”
The event which will take place at his hometown on Saturday starts at 9am will include cash, clothes, food, drinks gifts to widows. There will be live musical performance while God’s word will be shared by renowned men of God.
“The need of the nation is so huge,” said Ashimolowo. “We had to give up many things like church opening to do this. This is largely funded by my wife and I. We want it to metamorphose into something beyond Osun State and the widows.”
