Greetings,
It is with great pleasure that we introduce Don Foundation Lawra (DFL), a community-based organization established on January 1st, 2015. DFL is dedicated to proposing and promoting development and educational programs that will enhance the lives of needy widows, children, and youths in the Lawra community. The foundation seeks to provide these individuals with the necessary resources t
o strengthen their spirit, expand their knowledge, skills, and confidence, and encourage their participation in community activities. DFL operates independently, established by a native of the Lawra community. The foundation aims to be an organ for different projects and inspire cooperation for the benefit of all parties. DFL's mission is to improve the welfare of needy widows, children, and youths in the district. The foundation's vision is to make needy widows self-sufficient by providing them with basic needs through handicrafts, petty trading, agriculture, and saving. Additionally, it seeks to provide basic education to needy children with ease. The foundation aims to improve the living standards of needy widows, children, and youths in the Lawra district. Its objectives are to support needy widows by training them in handicrafts, agriculture, and trading. The foundation also aims to provide financial support and training to widows. It seeks to support needy children by providing study materials and financial support for feeding and paying their school fees and other bills. The cultural system makes it difficult for widows in the Lawra district. They have no say in terms of decision-making, no right to property ownership, and limited access to education, among other challenges. Women, in general, face similar problems but have benefited from gender empowerment programs. However, certain women groups, especially widows, still need serious attention and support. They were forced to undergo certain health-risky widowhood rites in the past and face inheritance problems as all property of their husbands, including what they worked for together, goes to their brothers. Children in the district face problems such as feeding, education, and healthcare. The foundation seeks to offer a helping hand to these needy widows, children, and youths in financial, material, and technical terms. If successfully launched, the foundation will provide widows with a source of income, make widows financially independent after training, provide basic education to needy children, and offer entertainment activities during festivities. The foundation aims to train and encourage widows in pottery, batik tie and dye, basket weaving, local jewellery making, picture making, and beekeeping. After training, widows will be provided with materials and some capital. The foundation will also provide children with study materials such as books, bags, pencils, and pens. It will pay their school fees and other bills, provide some feeding during and after school, and offer entertainment activities during festivities. The foundation's key success factors are the viability of the areas where widows will be trained and the financial package that will ensure the foundation's success. However, it may face limitations in terms of finances, societal pressure, and the mentality of widows and children about their status in society. Additionally, it may be difficult to determine who is a needy widow or child. The foundation will keep records of all activities on an annual and quarterly basis, not only on statistics and successes but also on the process of achieving its objectives. In the future, the foundation hopes to expand its services to needy single and teenage mothers and educate needy children to the tertiary level.
