By Amara Agha, Abakaliki
Mrs. Agu Favor Ogochukwu, founder of the Ijedinanwuye Foundation, has said that persistent complaints from women over marital challenges inspired her to establish the foundation.
Mrs. Agu explained that her exposure to the experiences of married women, including domestic abuse and financial control, alongside her personal experience, motivated her to initiate a women-focused support platform aimed at strengthening families and empowering women across Ebonyi State.
She said that after listening to women that endured abused in their marriage, she began gathering women to encourage them not to lose hope, assuring them that faith in God could help them overcome their challenges.
“What started as informal counselling sessions gradually developed into an organised movement providing emotional, moral, and spiritual support to women.
Mrs. Agu disclosed this during the foundation’s end-of-year gathering and empowerment programme.
The founder, who is also the artiste behind the Ijedinanwuye music, said the foundation has been holding annual gatherings in Onueke, attracting large numbers of women seeking guidance on family life and personal development. As participation increased, the group established an office in Abakaliki to improve coordination of activities across the state.
According to her, the Abakaliki office now connects women from all thirteen local government areas of Ebonyi State through regular meetings and outreach programmes. She emphasised that the foundation does not collect dues from members, noting that she personally sponsors most of its activities despite limited resources.
“We don’t have sponsors for now. I do what I can, whether big or small, just to make the women happy,” she said, adding that the foundation is appealing to the government for support, particularly in the area of transportation to facilitate its programmes.
Speaking at the event, a member of the foundation, Mrs. Nkechinyere Amadi, described the gathering as an opportunity to thank God for sustenance throughout the year. She said the foundation focuses on promoting peace in families, with special emphasis on the role of women in building stable and harmonious homes.
