By Chioma Onuegbu Uyo
A visually impaired widow, Madam Elizabeth Sampson of Ikot Ewang in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom has received a one-bedroom apartment from Ritzy’s Life Enhancement Foundation, RILEF.
Handing over the building to the widow in her hometown, Ikot Ewang on Friday, the founder of the RILEF, Miss Precious Andrews, said she was deeply tiuched when her attention was drawn to the plight of the widow.
Miss Andrews who explained that She used her Foundation to source for funds to construct the building, which started sometimes in April 2023, after seeing that the poor blind widow’s condition required urgent attention.
She narrated that when she first visited the Widow She had observed that the mud House was almost collapsing, while the roof leaks anytime it rained.
Her words: “In the first edition of our widow’s mite, we gathered widows across the state, fed them and provided them with wrappers. We gave some of them grants for their businesses.
“This fourth edition came, my attention was drawn to the pitiable condition of Madam Elizabeth Sampson, by one Miss Rachael Monday, through Facebook, because she had seen my other philanthropy works.
“She chatted me that this woman is visually impaired and that her house was almost falling. And with the pictures she sent to me I decided to visit the place. When I came, the condition I met her was terrible and quite pathetic.
“She is blind and lives alone without any assistance and the roof of her House was exactly how the Racheal described it. Initially, it was not easy, but I have to start the project through donations sent to my foundation. And today, we have built the house for Mama.
“So, I’m very happy and I want to tell everyone that contributed towards the building of this house, thank you. From the biggest to the smallest donors, we appreciate you all”.
Receiving the keys to the house, the beneficiary, Madam Elizabeth Sampson, who could not hide her joy, thanked Andrews and her Foundation for coming to her rescue and changed her hopeless and pitiable condition.
Sampson explained that because the walls of the mud House was no longer strong for anyone to climb the roof for repairs, one of her sons decided to use waterproof to cover the roof.
She thanked the Foundation and all those who contributed to build the new house for her, lamenting: “I was living in pathetic condition, until one day in April when Rachael Monday visited me with this lady, Miss Precious Andrews.
“Because of that visit, today I have a roof over my head. To God be the Glory. May God bless this lady and prosper her ways,”
A community leader and neighbour to the beneficiary, Mr Enefiok Samuel, thanked the foundation, describing what happened to the widow as a thing of joy to the entire community and called on other well-meaning individuals and groups in the society to emulate the gesture.
Source: Vanguard