To mark his birthday anniversary, philanthropist and community advocate, Hon. Monday Diamond Ani, has empowered 28 widows with cash support across communities in Enugu State, DAILY GAZETTE reports.
The empowerment exercise was carried out through the Monday Diamond Foundation (MDF), a non-governmental organisation established in 2015 to support vulnerable groups and promote youth development.
Beneficiaries of the initiative were drawn from Nkerefi, Mburubu, Nara, and a few other neighbouring communities in Nkanu East Local Government Area.
Our correspondent gathered that One of the beneficiaries was a widow from Burkina Faso, currently residing in Nara community, who was identified during a visit to Orie Nara Market.
The cash support was distributed in two phases, comprising direct cash transfers and physical cash presentations, aimed at easing the financial burden faced by widows.
Speaking during the outreach, Hon. Ani said widows occupy a special place in society and deserve consistent care and compassion.
“Widows are special people in our communities and should always be shown love and support,” he said.
He explained that although he usually avoids publicising his charitable activities, the birthday outreach was shared to acknowledge the contributions of friends who supported the initiative.
“This is the first time the foundation has received external financial support since its establishment. Over the years, MDF has been funded largely through my personal resources,” he noted.
Hon. Ani recalled that the foundation has previously intervened in emergency situations, including the construction of a bungalow in 2021 for a family in Akpugo whose home was destroyed by fire in Iva Valley, Enugu.
He expressed appreciation to individuals who supported the widows’ empowerment, including Dr. Uche Ogah, CON, Mr. Jameson, Mr. John Anaedo Onwubuya, Mr. Luis Holden, Comrade Ejimba Anthony, and Prof. Muna Nweke, among others.
The widows, many of whom were visibly emotional, expressed gratitude for the assistance and offered prayers for Hon. Ani and the continued success of the foundation.
Over the years, the Monday Diamond Foundation has organised and supported several civic and educational programmes, including IMT Debate (2015, 2016, 2018), Coal City Debate (2019), South East Debate (2021), National Debate (2022) and South East Youth Security Summit (2023).
The foundation has also provided scholarships and bursaries to 187 students across different parts of the country.
