An African Widow Part 1

Two weeks ago, a new movement was launched within the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ-Widows Forum. The vision is to create a platform that facilitates a change in the narrative of an African widow. Our mission is to empower, equip and inspire an African widow so that she can live her life to its fullest. If a widow is fully restored, she will soar like an eagle just like any other woman.

In Africa, widows go through a lot of hardship that stems from the society, family (especially the husband’s side) and from tradition. The core of the movement is centred around three questions. Today I will try to unpack the first question: How can a widow facilitate change in her own narrative? The first step: mourn the real loss-the loss of a husband. Sadly in most African cultures, widows are not given the opportunity to mourn their real loss-I will try to suggest a few things in my third article. Also, in some cultures a widow’s mourning period is defined, which is good in my opinion but sad in that there are lots of rituals that some widows must go through.