"If women are fine, their families will also be fine"

“When a woman is suffering, the entire family suffers,” says Mrs. Noeline Nchekwube Opara-Arji, President of Evergreen Widows’ Support Organisation.

Noeline and her husband, Mr. James Arji have just founded the Organisation to assist poor Nigerian widows. This is in fact the first major project being implemented by this new couple (Noeline and James got married on 19th December 2009 at San Martino Buon Albergo, Verona).

Noeline says they decided to create Evergreen Widows’ Support Organisation after her recent trip to Lagos, Nigeria where she saw several women breastfeeding their babies under a bridge.

Most often, Nigerian widows are mistreated by their dead husbands’ relatives, Noeline says. Without laws defending widow’s rights, many widows are normally sent away empty handed from the family homes.

“Some widows sleep under the bridge with their babies, they can’t afford to either feed or send their children to school, many widows end up becoming prostitutes,” Noeline says, adding that “unfortunately, even young girls are forced into prostitution in order to survive.”

Noeline notes that “It is very common for a Nigerian woman to be blamed for the death of her husband, even if she has absolutely nothing to do with it. If one’s husband has problems or dies, the wife can easily be accused of being a witch, the source of all bad things happening to the husband.”

Evergreen Widows’ Support Organisation is currently building a centre to host some of the widows and their babies. It will also become a training centre where widows can learn and acquire different skills such as tailoring, soap making, candle making, catering, cream production, etc.

Noeline plans to use the land she inherited from her father to build a primary and secondary school in the future.
“I’m very happy that my husband James supports the project. In fact he gives me part of his salary to send to Nigeria to help the needy women,” she says.

“No woman would have something in her purse without giving it to her children. By helping women, we are sure of helping entire families. If women are fine, their families will also be fine,” Noeline says.

Evergreen Widows’ Support Organisation’s email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

By Stephen Ogongo

Jehovah Witnesses will host an annual two-day Circuit assembly program in Rome on 17th and 18th April.

More than 1,000 delegates from central and south Italy will attend the event at the Rome Assembly Hall, (Hall – A), in Piazzale Heghel 70.

Participants will be informed about the dangers of distractions that threaten to consume their time and divert their attention from what is truly important. The program includes talks, interviews, symposiums, demonstrations, re-enactments and experiences that will encourage everyone to cope with any challenging situation.

Throughout the entire program, the speakers will explain how families and individuals can strengthen their spirituality in the face of increasing pressures emphasizing how to counteract the spirit of prevailing permissiveness.

The entire program will impart practical advice to parents, married couples, individuals, and on current problems. An assembly highlight will be a part especially designed for the public entitled, "Maintaining Spirituality in a Sick World". This part will be delivered on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Jehovah Witnesses believe that all who attend will benefit from the practical information presented. The public is invited to attend this free program which begins at 9:40 a.m. each day.

The Assembly is open to the public. Admission to the assembly is free, and no collections will be taken.

A chance for new artists to win recording contract with AM Records with an investment of up to £50,000

The African Music Records is organising the African Music (AM) Unsigned, the first national music competition for unsigned African artists; bands, vocal groups and solo artists.

The competition provides a great opportunity to perform live in front of some of the country’s top producers, Label execs. Promoters and DJs. If you make it through the auditions you will compete in the Grand Finale and then perform at this year’s African Music Awards ceremony on Friday 15th October at Wembley Arena to a broadcast audiences of over 150 million and live audience of over 5,000.

The winning act is offered a recording and management contract with AM Records with an investment of up to £50,000 to release their single and album which includes professional studio time, promotional campaigns and TV deals, Advertisement deals, Concert dates, much more. If you’d like to enter, please send your Music Video, Audio Demo, Profile & Picture to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For further information, please log on to http://www.africamusicawards.com

It will focus on how to involve African immigrants in the development of the continent

The Association of Africans in the World is organising the General Convention of African Diaspora in Italy.

The event will be held in Rome on 7th and 8th May, in Via IV Novembre 119 (Palazzo Valentini, sala della Pace).

The Convention is organised in collaboration with the African Diaspora in Europe and the Management Consulting Group (MCG), and is sponsored by the Province of Rome.

Ethical Bank of the African Diaspora will be introduced during the Convention and 5,000 founding members selected.

Round table discussions will centre on many issues affecting Africa’s social, political, cultural, economic development. There will be a special focus on how to involve African immigrants in the development of the continent.

African diplomats and Italian national and local authorities will attend the Convention.

For further information, please log on to: www.africaninelmondo.it or send an email to Mr. Raymond Kouassi, President of the Association of Africans in the World: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it